Kagome's Decision
by Inu no Miko
Summary: Inuyasha hasn't been able to tell Kagome how he feels. Now Kouga, the wolf prince, has decided to join the group. What will Kagome do? InuKagKouga. Rated PG-13 just in case.
1. Chapter One

Okay, here's my first ever Inu Yasha fanfic. I started writing this before CN put on the new episodes ("The Man Who Fell In Love With Kagome", etc.), so Kagura and all those people don't exist. Sorry for the inconvenience, Kagura & Kanna fans.

Don't flame me about the timeline. If you ever get confused about anything, ask, but please don't flame. That said, anything else is much appreciated. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Inu Yasha. There, happy? I need some Gummy Bears now. 

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She was crying again. Inuyasha could smell the salt on the breeze as it passed under his sensitive nose. Looking down from his comfortable perch high up in the tree, his golden eyes narrowed in curiosity and discomfort, the white-haired hanyou could see the small miko shiver in her strange bedding. 

*Why does she cry in her sleep?*he wondered as he jumped down gracefully and landed next to the sleeping girl. Strands of long black hair had fallen across her face, and he reached down gently with a clawed finger to sweep them clear. It came away damp from the tears that stained her otherwise peaceful countenance.

He hated it. He hated seeing her cry, but it was worse when she did it in her sleep. At least when she was awake, she would yell at him, and he would know why she cried, even if he didn't always understand. And he could eventually make her stop. But now, when she wasn't even aware that he was next to her, there was nothing he could do to stop the sobs that occasionally escaped her small lips. He wanted to comfort her, but he didn't know what it was that had haunted her dreams for the past few months. He wasn't even sure he should ask her.

*She might get the wrong idea*_,_ he huffed as he stood up abruptly. *Probably start thinkin' I have feelings for her or somethin'.*Besides, she probably wouldn't even tell him. He could never guess how Kagome would react to anything he said. Unless he said something really stupid, of course. Even he knew when he had a "SIT" coming. 

Gradually, the hanyou had slipped into his own thoughts, and was leaning against the foot of the tree, next to the sleeping form of the delicate miko. He looked at her suddenly, and blinked. His hand had found its way somehow to her face again, and her lips brushed it lightly as she turned. 

He blushed furiously, and pulled back his wandering appendage. *Well, she seems okay now_,*_ he thought as he got up again and made a fuss out of brushing off his clothes. He glanced at her before uttering a "Feh" and jumping back up into his nest. He was still blushing.

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"Inuyasha, I want you with me." The emotionless voice of the undead miko sounded eerie in the glade. Kagome shivered from her place, bound to the thick tree by the soul-gatherers, forced to watch the whole heart-breaking scene. Scanning Inuyasha's face, she saw only longing and compassion. When he opened his mouth, she braced herself. 

"And I want to be with you," he said to the form in his arms. Though it was a whisper, to Kagome it felt like the blow of a hammer, resonating through the dark forest after it struck the left over pieces of her heart. The tears fell unheeded, since she couldn't move to wipe them off her face. 

Kikyo gave her a smug look from her place in Inuyasha's strong arms, and then turned up to face him. He nodded, and leaned in to kiss her. Kagome wanted to die, right then and there. She didn't care about the Jewel anymore, about Sango or the others. She wished Kikyo would just kill her. It would hurt a lot less than this.

Just then, Inuyasha looked up and faced her. She felt a glimmer of hope. *Maybe he sensed me,* she thought feebly. *He'll realize I'm here and leave her.* 

Then, he smiled at her, reached for Kikyo, and kissed her again.

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Kagome's eyes shot open. For a moment, she panicked when she couldn't see. Then, she realized there were tears in her eyes, and she blinked to clear them. 

As the forest came into focus, she stifled a hiccup and sat up. Hugging her knees tightly and still trembling slightly, she sighed as the contents of her nightmare trickled back to her. *Why do I keep having these nightmares?* she silently asked her sleeping bag. They had started a few months ago, right after their last encounter with the powerful undead priestess, Kikyo. 

Each time, she woke up with tears on her face. It made her feel so weak, and she was glad Inuyasha had never noticed. *Not that he'd care, anyway.* She frowned, but her expression quickly returned to one of sorrow. *He'd just hate feeling guilty.* 

Kagome willed away the ache in her chest when she noticed the first rays of light reaching over the forest canopy. As the warm sunlight trickled over her face, she took a deep breath and stretched. She supposed she should get something in the way of breakfast ready before Inuyasha awoke and hurried them on. He was eager to get back to the village, after having gained another shard of the Shikon no Tama. 

Pulling out a package of Instant Ramen, some small plastic bottles of orange juice, and her kettle, she frowned. *I'm running low on supplies,* she noted, counting the packages of food and medical supplies that remained in her backpack. *I'd better let Inuyasha know I'll have to go back home soon.*

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He had been somewhat worried about leaving his tribe without the protection of the Jewel shards he carried, but he also knew that they would make an easy target of his pack for Naraku. So now here he was, using his enhanced speed to rip through the daylight in the direction he had last caught a whiff of Kagome's strangely unique scent. Deep in the vortex of wind he created in his sprints, he was grinning in anticipation. 

Kouga had been tracking her scent for a couple of days, which had been difficult because it had been partly masked by the scent of demon blood. He guessed that another demon possessing a shard of the Shikon Jewel had been slain recently by that hanyou that was with her. A growl rose in his throat as he thought of Inuyasha. 

*Well, that's something I'll have to take care of,* he thought to himself as he came to a sudden halt. With a quick grab, he snared a rabbit by the hind leg and broke its neck. It wasn't much, but he supposed he'd have to get used to it. He had vowed not to eat human flesh again after the day the strange human girl had come into his life. 

She'd been so brave, and she was beautiful. "Inukkuro doesn't know what's under his own nose," the wolf demon muttered as he wiped the blood off his mouth. He got up off the ground, where he had seated himself for his meal. 

The grin found its way back to his face. "So I guess it won't be so difficult to slip her out from there." 

He sped off, leaving a whirlwind of dust in his wake. 

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Inuyasha had started to drift out of his sleep when he heard Kagome stir beneath him on the ground. When he heard her hiccup, he quickly decided not to say anything yet. She was probably still crying, and he wouldn't know what to do.

But when he caught the aroma of Ramen noodles cooking, he all but bolted himself out of the tree. Kagome gave a little shriek when he landed next to her, and frowned at him. "Don't scare me like that, Inuyasha! You're going to give me a heart attack one of these days!"

He ignored her, leaning in over the cups of steaming soup sitting on the ground in front of her. "Is it ready?" he asked, pointing. She sighed, then looked at her watch. "No, it still needs a couple of minutes. Really, Inuyasha, I've never seen someone so completely obsessed with this stuff before." 

She watched him eye the cups hungrily, then rolled her eyes. "I give up," she huffed as she got up. There was a towel in her hand. "I'm going to take a bath, okay? There's a river a little way back there. I saw it when we were running from the youkai last night."

Inuyasha's ears twitched. "I wasn't running," he growled. "The stupid thing smelled nastier than seven hells; it ain't my fault I got such a strong sense of smell. I was just getting in a better position to kill it, is all." 

He flinched when Kagome laughed. "Okay, Inuyasha, whatever you say." She waved over her shoulder as she walked into the trees. "I won't be long, okay? You eat meanwhile." *He's so adorable.*

"Hurry up! We still got a long way to go today!" he yelled at her back, certain that she'd completely ignore his order. He didn't understand why the girl wouldn't just wait until they got back to the village to bathe, but he knew better than to object. Besides, he liked the way she smelled right after a bath. Not that he'd ever tell her, of course.

"It's got to be ready by now," he said suddenly, as his attention turned back to the steaming cups of noodles sitting before him. He supposed he should save one for Kagome. He lifted one and eagerly slurped up a mouthful of the delicious noodles.

Two seconds too late, he remembered how hot they could get, just as his tongue evaporated and the inside of his mouth was set on fire.

Kagome sighed when she heard Inuyasha scream, then utter a string of obscenities that made her wince. *I guess I should've reminded him to be careful,* she thought as she eased herself into the river. 

"Ugh, it's freezing!" she sputtered as goosebumps rose on her arms. Still, she supposed it was better than smelling like youkai remains all the way back. Especially if she was riding on Inuyasha's back. She blushed, then drew her eyebrows together. "It's not like he notices, anyway," she muttered as she dove underwater. 

She came up gracefully, the surface of the calm river almost parting on its own, small splashes dancing about her as if celebrating her presence in their midst. *She is beautiful,*Kouga thought from his place on the bank. He'd finally found her, and was feeling childishly triumphant.

Kagome felt the tingle before she opened her eyes. *Jewel shards!* She turned quickly, only to find herself looking up into the rather devilish face of a certain wolf youkai. 

Kouga smiled, his eyes sparkling uncharacteristically for a demon. "O-hayo, Kagome-chan."

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There, one chapter down. I hope you enjoyed it! Oh, and please review. Arigato!


	2. Chapter Two

Here's the next chapter! This is for my first reviewers. I appreciate the feedback!

Disclaimer: I don't own Inu Yasha, and I don't own Sesshoumaru-sama. The world is unfair.

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The flames in his mouth had just begun to calm down when Kagome's shriek reached his oversensitive ears.

"ECCHI!"

"Kagome!" he cried out instinctively, a low growl emanating from his stomach. He bolted through the trees, certain that some youkai was preparing to rip Kagome to shreds, and he was never going to get there in time---

*Hn? What's that scent?* 

His amber eyes narrowed, and the growl intensified. *Kouga!*Inuyasha slashed through the foliage with his claws and skidded to a stop just inches from the river, taking in a rather strange scene.

Kagome was dripping wet, wrapped tightly in a towel, and blushing three shades deeper than Inuyasha's yukata. Only a few feet away, Kouga was standing with a bewildered expression on his sharp features, a fresh handprint beginning to show on his left cheek. His eyes were still shining. 

"What did you do to her!!?" Inuyasha lunged at the wolf youkai before waiting for an answer. Kouga jumped out of the deadly path of the fuming hanyou's claws, then aimed a swift kick at his back. That sent Inuyasha fumbling forward on one foot. Unfortunately, the bank decided then that it didn't like the hanyou, and Inuyasha slipped with an unceremonious splash into the freezing water. 

"Hn, that's what you get for your meddling, Inukkuro!" Kouga declared through a satisfied smile. "For your information, I didn't do anything to MY woman. I just didn't think she'd be so modest." He turned to Kagome, who was somewhat recovered by this time and was inching towards her clothes. 

He was at her side before she had time to blink, and had taken her small hands in his large brown ones. "Forgive me, Kagome-chan," he said merrily. "I'm not used to the ways of humans yet, and I didn't think you'd be...surprised by my presence during your bath."

Kagome felt the blush creep back into her face. "Uh, it's okay, Kouga-kun," she stammered. "Just-umph!" She was interrupted when he pulled her into a hug. "I was just so happy I found you, I couldn't wait to see you!" he added. The blush deepened. "Uh, thanks, I guess," she squeaked.

"Get your filthy hands off her, you mangy wolf," Inuyasha practically barked as he made his way towards them, dripping and ready to kill. 

Kagome realized then that she was still only wrapped in a towel--a very wet towel. *Oh, Kami!* 

"SIT, BOY!" 

As Inuyasha made friends with the bank that had betrayed him, Kagome stepped out of Kouga's grasp and snatched her clothes. "Uh, Kouga, I need to get dressed, okay? Wait for me over there, where we set up camp." She gestured over in the direction Inuyasha had come crashing through before, and he nodded. With a final glance at Inuyasha, she ran off behind a clump of bushes, grasping the small bath towel like a lifeline. Kouga watched her for a moment, inhaling her lingering scent. 

"See you at camp, dog breath," he said smugly to the hanyou embedded in the mud, stepping on his white head as he walked toward the trees. 

Inuyasha unleashed another almost incoherent string of swears at him as he tried to pry himself from the ground. *That stupid wolf's gonna pay big for this!* 

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"Well, Kouga-kun, how've you been?" Kagome asked awkwardly as she rolled up her sleeping bag. She kept an eye on Inuyasha, who was sitting up in the tree again. Only an occasional snort and muttering could be heard from him.

The wolf youkai smiled at her from his place on the ground. "I've managed rather well, actually," he answered lightly. "There was another litter of pups born this season to the pack, and they look like a healthy enough bunch. And nothing's attacked us in a while, so I guess those bird youkai are finally gone for good." 

He stood up, joining Kagome as she pushed the rolled-up bag into her backpack. "But you know," he added, putting his hand on her elbow, "I've been wanting to see you for a long time." The miko blushed, and Inuyasha tensed.

"Uh, well, that's a sweet thing to say." *Oh, Kami, that's sounds so dumb!* she thought to herself as she fumbled with the straps on her pack. "I mean...I've been wondering how you were, too." Kouga smiled widely. 

"Good. Then will you come back with me, Kagome-chan?"

Kagome sweat-dropped at the same time as Inuyasha fell out of the tree with a crash. Kouga took her hands and looked deep into her eyes. His expression was very serious. 

"Kagome-chan, I've been meaning to talk to you about..." he started hesitantly, then took a determined look in his eyes. "I want you to be the mother of my pups," he finished firmly. 

The girl only looked back at him with a shocked expression. *Oh, this reminds me of Miroku!*

"All right, you pervert, I've heard just about enough from your sorry hide," Inuyasha declared as he pulled her away. "Kagome and I got shards to find, so go find someone else's time to waste." 

"Mind your own business, Inukkuro!" Kouga snarled, baring his fangs at the hanyou. "This is between me and my woman, so buzz off!" 

Inuyasha was furious. "Why you mangy wolf, I aughtta cut your stomach out for that!" He pulled Tetsusaiga out of its sheath, and held the transformed blade out in front of him. "Come on, we'll settle this once and for all!"

Kouga paled almost imperceptibly at the sight of Tetsusaiga, but he stood his ground. "All right, mutt! I'll prove to Kagome that I'm the better youkai!"

"There's no way Kagome would choose a loser like you over m---" Inuyasha shut his mouth, and caught the miko staring at him out of the corner of his eye. *Uh, I think I should keep my mouth shut from now on,* he thought.

"Over you?" Kouga laughed, tossing his ponytail over his shoulder. "She knows she deserves better than some half-breed, hot-headed, worthless hanyou like you!" 

"I meant she wouldn't choose you over her responsibility to the Shikon-no-Tama," the flustered hanyou said quickly. He tried to ignore the huff that came from Kagome, and the way she clenched her fists. He'd kill Kouga first, apologize later.

Inuyasha started to jump at him, the Tetsusaiga poised for a deadly swipe. *Now I just gotta find the Wind Scar, and--* 

"SIT!"

"Ugh!" Inuyasha landed with a spectacular crash just inches from Kouga, who leapt back and over him with incredible agility. 

"Kagome!" The white-haired hanyou was furious. "What'd you do that for, wench?" Then he choked back the rest of his complaints when he saw Kagome's face. 

"I told you before, I don't want you and Kouga fighting," she said firmly. "He's not our enemy, remember? Naraku is." Her face fell, and she turned to Kouga, who was still looking warily at the detransformed sword in Inuyasha's hand. "Kouga-kun," she said quietly, "I can't go with you. As much as I hate to admit it, Inuyasha's right." 

"Of course I am," Inuyasha said smugly as he got up and shook the dirt off his yukata. "Me and Kagome have to get all the jewel shards, and get Naraku for all the stuff he's done," he said matter-of-factly. He looked pointedly at Kouga. "Which reminds me, you got some Jewel shards, don't you?" 

Kouga glared at him. "Yeah, and what of it?" 

Kagome interrupted them both. "Nothing," she said as she pinched Inuyasha. He yelped, and growled. "We know you need those Jewel shards to keep your tribe safe, Kouga-kun," she said. "I trust that you'll keep them safe from Naraku for the time being, until we can get the ones he has."

"I won't let you down, Kagome," the wolf youkai declared earnestly. "Naraku will never get his hands on the shards that I possess."

"However," he added, taking her hands again. "Kagome, I admire your courage now more than ever. If you must finish this mission of yours, then I understand." 

"Thank you, Kouga-kun," Kagome started, but he wasn't finished. 

"But Kagome, why not fulfill this quest at my side?" His eyes searched hers, which were widening. "I can do a lot better than Inukkuro, and at least I'd treat you like you deserve to be treated as my woman."

"Uh, listen, Kouga," Kagome stammered, but he put his finger on her lips. 

"Inuyasha is a worthless mutt, and definitely not fitting for a lady like you," he insisted. 

Kagome shrugged. "I know Inuyasha is kind of rough around the edges, and sometimes he can be a real stubborn pain, and maybe he doesn't always think things through---"

"Hey, I'm still here," Inuyasha interrupted, eyes narrowed to golden slits. "You might try being more loyal, you know." 

Kagome flushed, then tensed. "Yeah, like you whenever Kikyo comes running around stealing our Jewel shards." 

Inuyasha choked. "That's not fair," he snapped. "It's hardly the same."

*Yeah, 'cause you'll forgive anything she does, even if she wants to kill me and drag you to hell with her!* The words were on the tip of her tongue, but Kagome bit them back and simply turned her back on him. "I guess you just expect me to stick around just because I can see the shards, right?" she hissed. Inuyasha flinched. 

"Fine," she snapped, turning back around and nodding briskly. "I know it's my responsibility to help find the shards, so I'll do it," she said. "I'll help you find the Shikon no Tama, and then you can become a demon or a human or whatever you feel like turning into! Then I'll just get out of your way, since you won't have any use for me after that!" She panicked when she felt her throat tighten. *Oh no, don't cry now!*

She was saved by Kouga, who had up to now been watching the scene with some amusement and curiosity. He marveled at the way the small girl could make the hanyou fidget under the force of her temper. *And she looks so pretty when she's mad,* he thought as he moved to intervene.

"If you insist on remaining with him on this, then, Kagome," he said, "I would like to join you, so that I can keep you safe." He looked meaningfully at Inuyasha, who was recovering from Kagome's outburst and was turning red. 

"You stupid wolf, I'm here to protect Kagome," he said fiercely, but no one paid attention. 

"I think that might be a good idea," Kagome said, shocking Inuyasha and making Kouga immensely pleased. 

"What! No way, Kagome," Inuyasha said angrily. "There's no way I'm gonna let this weakling of a demon tag along just so he can steal all the Jewel shards first chance he gets!" 

Kagome bristled. *The dumb jewel shards again. Is that all he's worried about?* "Inuyasha, just listen!" she said before Kouga could reply, matching the hanyou's temper evenly. "We're getting close to Naraku, and you know it. We'd have a much better chance of defeating him if we have all the help we can find!" 

When she saw him pout defensively, she softened her tone. "Don't let your pride get in the way here, okay? Besides, it's only a suggestion. I think we should ask the others and see what they think." 

Inuyasha muttered something under his breath, and crossed his arms defiantly. Kagome sighed when she realized she was getting no where with him.

"Fine, then, we'll go back to the village and talk things over with Miroku and Sango," she said with finality, and started to reach for her backpack. Kouga beat her to it and slung it over his shoulder, then reached an outstretched hand for her. 

"No way, creep," Inuyasha growled as he took a surprised Kagome on his back. "I wouldn't put it past you to run off with her again." 

The wolf youkai grinned, his fangs white against his lips. "So you've got some brains, after all," he said. Inuyasha growled again, then leapt into the air. Kouga settled into a comfortable pace beside them, and they headed off toward the nearby village where the rest of the group awaited them.

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"I hope they come back soon," Shippo was saying as he finished off his breakfast with a slurp. "And I hope Kagome is okay."

"Don't worry about her, Shippo." Sango reached over and took his empty bowl. "She's with Inuyasha, remember? He won't let anything happen to her." 

Shippo sighed. "It's Inuyasha that worries me," he said, crossing his small arms and frowning. "He's probably being stupid and hurting Kagome's feelings, like he does all the time." He shook his head. "I think he should just tell Kagome how much he loves her already. I don't understand why he always acts so mean to her."

"It's a complicated thing, Shippo," Miroku responded. "It's intimidating when you love someone, if you're not sure how they would feel about you in return." 

He sipped his tea, and his eyes wandered to Sango, who was cleaning the small hut that had been lent to them. "It would be truly a heartbreaking thing, if one's love was declared but not returned." 

"And don't forget," Sango added, stooping to pick up a dropped bowl. Miroku choked on his tea, but no one noticed. "Inuyasha probably still has feelings for Kikyo." 

Miroku nodded. "Inuyasha will have to choose between Kikyo and Kagome. It wouldn't be fair to Kagome if half of him was still with the undead priestess."

"I still don't understand," Shippo said unhappily. "Kagome is alive, and prettier, and much nicer than Kikyo. She wouldn't try to take Inuyasha to hell with her!" He stood up, putting his small fists on his hips. "Inuyasha's just stupid!"

"Stupid am I, huh, kid?" Shippo's eyes grew wide as saucers as Inuyasha stepped into the hut with Kagome right behind him. "You'd better learn not to say bad stuff about someone when they can hear ya!" He reached for the kitsune with his claws. 

Shippo cried out in alarm and scrambled behind Miroku. 

"So, you're back," the houshi stated without surprise. "I'm glad to see you're all right, Kagome," he said as he rose from his place on the ground with Shippo on his shoulder, who promptly made a short jump onto the miko's shoulder. 

Inuyasha growled, but didn't attack again. The kitsune's insult hadn't been the only part of the conversation his sensitive ears had picked up, and he wasn't sure how he should react. Or if he should. With a huff, he went and sat cross-legged in the corner. 

"Hi, everyone," Kagome said cheerfully as she took the kitsune in her arms. 

"Kagome, I missed you!" he said, burying his furry head into her chest. She stroked his hair affectionately. 

"I see that everything went well, Kagome," Sango said as she walked up to her friend, who was still in the doorway. "I'm glad you----what?" 

She stopped abruptly as her attention was centered on a figure a few feet behind Kagome. "Kouga?" 

"O-hayo, ningen," Kouga replied. Kagome moved so he could enter, and the kitsune in her arms shifted uncomfortably. 

"Kouga joined us on the way back in the woods," Kagome said quickly, before Inuyasha could say anything and start another argument with Kouga. They'd been doing it all the way to the village, and she was tired of it. She turned to Sango and Miroku, who were looking warily from Kouga to Inuyasha. "Sango, is there any tea left?"

"Yes, of course," Sango said, recovering quickly and helping Kagome get some tea. Soon, the humans were settled in a circle on the floor (with Shippo on Kagome's lap). Inuyasha was still in the corner, and Kouga was leaning against the wall on the other side. Neither was looking at the other.

"So, were you able to gather the shard of the Sacred Jewel from the youkai?" Miroku asked, trying to ease the tension in the air. Kagome nodded and sipped her tea. 

"It was kind of tricky finding it. It smelled really awful, and Inuyasha had a hard time tracking down the exact source of the stench." She shuddered, remembering the slime-covered den that they had stumbled upon. 

Inuyasha rubbed his nose. "That stupid thing's scent covered everything around the place," he said. "It was kinda hard finding the smelliest place when everything smelled bad. It was almost as strong as the stupid ink of the hell-painter."

"I hope you didn't pass out like you did when the ink covered you, Inuyasha," Shippo said from the safety of the miko's lap. "That would be really embarrassing." 

"You passed out from ink, Inukkuro?" Kouga laughed, and Inuyasha growled. 

"So, it ain't my fault my nose is so sensitive!" the hanyou said defensively, getting to his feet. "That don't give you a right to laugh, you cheating wolf! At least I don't need Jewel Shards to defend myself!" 

Kouga stopped laughing. If Kagome hadn't stood up in his way, he would have leapt at the white-haired hanyou. She looked at him sternly, and he leaned back against the wall. 

"There was something that we wanted to talk about with you guys," the miko said as she sat back down to her spot. "Kouga offered to join us, and I think it might be a good idea." 

"What does Inuyasha think?" Sango asked doubtfully, casting a glance at the brooding hanyou. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but then shut it and looked away, crossing his arms. 

"I didn't think so," the demon huntress said, looking back at Kagome. "Is he trustworthy?"

Kagome looked carefully at Kouga, who was also looking off somewhere else and trying to seem uninterested. "Yes," she said firmly, and Sango shrugged. 

"I can see where it would be useful to have him on our side," she offered. 

Miroku nodded. "Kagome, I take it you're willing to accept Kouga's help because of Naraku, am I right?" Kagome nodded. 

"Well, it seems reasonable enough," the monk continued. "The only problem, then, lies with the rivalry that exists between Inuyasha and Kouga. Do you think they will be able to work well together?" 

Kagome sighed uncertainly. 

"Kagome-sama," Miroku added seriously, "you can't expect them to get anything done if they're constantly fighting. It's just going to be too hard for them not to, with you distracting them." He put his arm around her. "You might get hurt, and I may not always be around to protect you."

As Sango and Kagome both face-vaulted, Miroku was thrown from the hut by a startling show of cooperation between Inuyasha and the wolf youkai. 

"So they can work together," Sango chuckled next to a shocked Kagome. "Houshi-sama should have known better." 

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There, Chapter 2 done and up, for your reading pleasure. Don't forget to try out that wonderful review button!


	3. Chapter Three

Finally, chapter three is done. Sorry it took a while. Finals are coming up, and everything is crazy right now.

Disclaimer: I don't own Inu Yasha. If I did, all the episodes would be running on CN by now.

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On Inuyasha's insistence, the group set out from the village early the next morning. Many of the people came out to wish them well, and to thank them for ridding the village of the youkai that had been assailing them. They offered gifts, but Kagome and Sango refused, much to Miroku's dismay. It was obvious that they couldn't well spare them.

As they went, Inuyasha picked up a few words that were not so kind from the villagers. "Same old thing, no matter where we go," he muttered. "Seems so matter how much we do to help, no one's gonna overlook the 'half-demon'."

"At least no one attacked you this time," Kagome said, trying to cheer him up. "I think it's because you didn't insult anyone." She reached up and rubbed his ear, and he growled. 

"Stop that," he ordered, and she pulled her arm back down. 

She looked over the group, smiling contentedly to herself. Sango was walking ahead of them, having left Miroku in the dirt with a bump on the head. He had groped her again. 

*He's never going to learn*, Kagome thought with a chuckle. 

Kirara was perched on Sango's shoulder, and it seemed that the firecat was thinking the same thing. Shippo was frowning at the monk, who by now had regained consciousness and was making his way back to Sango's side. 

Kagome loved them like family. They would all give their lives to protect her, and she was willing to do the same for them.

Suddenly, she noticed that someone was missing. "Where is Kouga?" she asked, turning to look behind them. 

Inuyasha huffed, putting his arms behind his head. "That coward probably decided to go back home," he said gruffly. 

"Who you calling coward, mutt face?" Kouga stepped out of the woods beside Kagome, glaring at the hanyou. "For your information, I happened to see something I thought Kagome would like." He held out his hand, which was full of pink and white blossoms. "Here, Kagome, I got these for you."

Kagome didn't quite know what to say. Kouga was smiling expectantly, while Inuyasha glared daggers into him. She sighed and took the flowers. 

"Arigato, Kouga-kun," she said, smiling back at him. "It's a very nice gesture." He nodded, satisfied, and settled into an easy pace next to her. 

"So, where are we headed now?" he asked. He was feeling proud of himself for having miffed the hanyou again. 

"We're going back to Kaede's village," Kagome said. "I talked Inuyasha into letting me go back home for a while."

Kouga looked confused. "Back home? I thought you lived in the village, along with the mutt and your ningen friends." 

Kagome shook her head. "No, Kouga-kun. I live in another time, five hundred years in the future." When the wolf youkai looked at her skeptically, she pointed at her uniform. 

"See these? This is clothing from my era." 

Kouga's eyes suddenly lit up. "I thought those clothes were strange for a miko." 

Kagome smiled. "I fell in through the Bone-Eater's well, in Inuyasha's Forest. Because I had the Shikon Jewel in my body, I was able to travel through it to this time."

"Hn, well what do you know!" Kouga scratched his chin. "From another world, huh?" Suddenly, he broke out in a wide grin. "I always knew you were too good to be from this world, Kagome." 

She blushed. *Wow, he really knows how to sweet-talk a girl,* was all she could think as Sango winked at her mischievously.

Shippo laughed when he glanced at the hanyou. Inuyasha was turning red too, but not from embarrassment. He didn't like the familiarity between Kagome and Kouga. Not at all. And now the stupid wolf was coming on to her, right in his face! 

He took a step forward and opened his mouth, when suddenly, Kagome shivered. That's when he sensed it. 

* Kikyo's Soul-gatherers!*

The hanyou sniffed the air once, then leapt into the trees. "Stay here," he ordered over his shoulder as he bolted through the forest. 

"Inuyasha, where are you going?" Kagome's cry went unheard as he disappeared swiftly into the dark forest. Kouga sniffed the air curiously, then shuddered.

"Something stinks," he said as he tried to shake off the cold feeling in his spine. "It smells like earth and old human bones."

Miroku and Sango exchanged glances, and looked worriedly over at Kagome. "It must be Kikyo," Kagome said quietly, not looking at anyone. Sango winced at the pain in her friend's voice, but the miko simply kept walking.

"Are we going to leave him behind, Kagome?" Miroku followed her tentatively. "He did tell us to stay here and wait for him."

Kagome whirled around, her eyes glinting dangerously. "What, and I'm supposed to do what he says? Just sit here and wait while he goes off to be with her?!" She looked like she was about to catch fire. Shippo whimpered and hid behind the taijiya.

Sango decided to risk helping the monk, who looking very much like a trapped mouse. "Kagome, don't you think it would be best if we stayed? In case Kikyo tries something again?"

Kagome started stomping away stubbornly. "No! I will not baby-sit him! If he wants to run off and get dragged to hell, then he deserves it!" She still sounded angry, but she stopped walking.

"Who is this Kikyo?" Kouga was curious to know who this person was, and why Inuyasha would ever want to leave Kagome's side to go to such a place. When Kagome didn't answer, Sango spoke. 

"Kikyo is a priestess who guarded the Shikon no Tama fifty years ago," she began. "She was killed by Naraku, who had tricked both she and Inuyasha into thinking they had betrayed each other."

"Why would he waste his time doing that?" 

Miroku spoke up. "He wanted the jewel to be tainted with evil. Inuyasha and Kikyo loved each other, and he wanted Kikyo's pure heart sullied with hatred. Naraku believed the jewel would become more beautiful, should it be filled with malice."

"That and the fact that he is a conniving monster," Sango added grimly. "He possessed my younger brother Kohaku and made him kill my father and the others who were with us. He uses him like a puppet." When her voice shook, Miroku put a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"A demon witch named Urasue brought Kikyo back into a body of clay, using my soul," Kagome said softly. "I was able to regain most of it, but a part still remains within her. So now she steals souls of maidens to keep herself animated." 

She hugged herself. "She won't rest until she takes Inuyasha to hell with her. But he doesn't care," she added angrily. A tear slid down her cheek. 

Shippo jumped into her arms, trying to comfort her. "Kagome, don't cry," he pleaded, burying his face in her chest. The miko held back the rest of her tears, petting the kitsune's hair reassuringly.

Kouga was silently taking in the story. After a moment, he went over to Kagome's side. "I still don't understand why he would run after a dead body, instead of staying with you." He grimaced. "I'd never do something like that."

Kagome blinked up at him. Her eyes were full of tears, but she smiled. "Thanks, Kouga-kun." She sighed. "If only Inuyasha were more like you."

Kouga smiled crookedly. He knew it was supposed to be a compliment, but it hurt. "Well, then, what chance would I have?" he asked lightly. 

Kagome looked confused, so he just let it drop. "Just don't cry, Kagome. It's not pleasant to see you waste your tears on someone like Inukkuro."

Kagome nodded and wiped her eyes. "I'm going to follow him," she said suddenly, surprising everyone. She pasted a smile on her face as she put an uneasy Shippo down. "He can do whatever he wants, but we still have a job to do. He's not getting out of it that easily." She started walking in the direction Inuyasha had gone. 

"Wait, Kagome," Kouga said as he picked her up. "I'll come with you." He shrugged when Kagome stared at him. 

"That witch might try something," he insisted. Kagome finally nodded, and the wolf youkai picked her up and sprinted off toward the scent of earth and bones.

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There, another chapter done and up! I'm still trying to decide the final pairing. It's such a difficult decision! Oh well, I hope you're all enjoying it so far. Remember to review!


	4. Chapter Four

Hey, everyone! Finals are finally over! Thanks for reviewing, and motivating me to get on with the story. It helps. Here's chapter four, especially for you.

Disclaimer: I still don't own Inu Yasha, and I'm starting to believe I never will.

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"Kikyo!" Inuyasha tore through the branches that were in his way as her scent hit his nose in full force. He braced himself against it subconsciously. It wasn't the scent that mattered, anyway. It was her, right? 

"I've been waiting for you, Inuyasha." Her voice was cold on the warm morning air. He jumped out of the tree and skidded to a stop a few feet in front of her, watching as a Soul Gatherer floated by and dropped a shimmering orb into her hands.

"Ah, much better," she sighed as she took the soul into herself. "Now I am fully replenished for the time being." She turned a cool gaze at the hanyou, who was watching her with a slight frown. 

"Does it bother you, Inuyasha?" she asked. "Does it bother you that I take these souls in order to remain in this world?"

Inuyasha blinked, not expecting the question. "No, as long as you're alive," he murmured. She smiled then, and his voice caught in his throat. *Her smile…she hasn't smiled like that since she pinned me to the tree,* he thought as she drew nearer. 

She was only inches away from him now, and the smile was still softening her face. "Then, you want me to live, don't you Inuyasha?" 

He felt his brain turning to mush, like it usually did when he was around Kikyo. "Yes," he replied. She rested her hands on his chest, and he folded his arms around her. When she didn't respond, he pulled her closer to him until he felt her arms reach around his waist. 

"Would you do anything to let me stay here?" Inuyasha felt goosebumps rise as her lips moved against his throat. "Uh…yes, Kikyo. I'd do anything." 

"I want you to kill Kagome."

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"Slow down, Kouga." Kagome pulled on the wolf youkai's arm gently, and he complied. "I don't want to…interfere," she said quietly. "I just want to make sure he's okay."

"They're just up ahead." Kouga put her down and pointed in the direction they had been headed, and the miko nodded. "Yeah, I can feel Kikyo's presence from here," she said as another shudder ran through her body. "I'm going to go up ahead and see if everything's all right."

"No." Kagome looked surprised when Kouga stopped her with his outstretched hand. "I won't let you go up there alone, Kagome," he declared. 

She sighed, exasperated. *This is not a good time for him to pull one of his moves,* she thought bitterly. "Kouga, I'll be okay. I know Kikyo probably senses us both. Anyway, I'm probably more immune to her power than you are, seeing as you're a demon."

Kouga wanted to argue, but his instincts had been screaming in alarm since he had started after the scent of the undead priestess. So he just crossed his arms. "Fine," he said grudgingly. "I'll be waiting right here, Kagome." 

"Thanks, Kouga-kun!" Kagome began to creep forward, when Kouga grabbed her arm. His blue eyes were serious. 

"If you're gone for more than five minutes, I'm coming after you." 

Kagome sweatdropped and nodded. She started off again, trying hard to be quiet. Kouga watched her and smiled. She was as quiet as a cricket in the night to his youkai ears, but he admired her effort.

Kagome made her way through what seemed like endless brambles until she caught sight of a Soul-Gatherer. Her stomach flopped. *So it is Kikyo.*

She hesitated. *Can I do this again?* Past images of Kikyo and Inuyasha embracing flooded back to her, both from her nightmares and from reality. She trembled, and had to fight the urge to turn back. *I can't let her drag Inuyasha to hell,* she thought fiercely. Clenching her fists, she gathered her resolve and forced herself to look beyond the bush she was hiding in, bracing herself.

Somehow, though she had told herself to expect what she saw, Kagome couldn't help feeling like the wind had been knocked out of her. 

Inuyasha was holding Kikyo. And she was hugging him back. Of course. A perfectly normal thing between two people who loved each other. As if to accentuate the intimate scene, the Soul Gatherers floated around them, casting an ethereal glow on the embracing couple.

Kagome quickly spun around on the ground, shutting her eyes as if she could erase what she had seen. *Baka, baka, baka! Why did I come? I knew what I would see, and I still had to come! Kami, what is the matter with me?* 

Tears welled up in her brown eyes. Blinking to clear her vision, Kagome slowly moved away from the glade. She decided that if Kikyo tried anything, she would know no matter where she was. And she didn't want to be here anymore. If Inuyasha wanted to scream endearments to the corpse, she didn't want to be around to hear them again. 

With considerably greater care than before, she slowly made her way back to where Kouga was waiting.

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Inuyasha pulled away from her. Her voice had become clipped, devoid of feeling once again. 

"Kikyo…." He searched her face for the smile that had warmed it, but there was no trace of it. Of her. She saw the bewildered look on his face and laughed. 

"Why do you recoil from me so, Inuyasha?" She traced his jawline with her finger and smiled again. This time, the smile made him shudder.

"You said you'd do anything to keep me alive," she continued, turning away. "You told me once that you loved me, that you cared for me. If it is true, then prove it." She whirled to face him, her eyes glinting with something akin to anger. "Kill the girl that possesses the rest of my soul! Do it and I will live again."

"No."

Kikyo's eyes narrowed. "You refuse to sacrifice that girl for my sake?"

Inuyasha looked at her pleadingly. "Kikyo, I'll do anything else you ask of me. I will go to the very depths of hell with you after I destroy Naraku, if that is what you want. But please, don't ask me to hurt Kagome." 

The miko looked at him coldly. "So I see that Naraku was right," she said finally. "The love that we once believed we shared for each other was nothing more than a worthless attraction. You have replaced me so easily."

"No, Kikyo…"

"What, are you going to tell me that you have no feelings for a girl that you do not wish to harm, even if it were the only way to bring you and I together again?"

"Kagome's different…she doesn't deserve to die."

"She has my soul."

"It's her soul, Kikyo! You died fifty years ago!"

There was absolute silence as Inuyasha's words hung in the air. His golden eyes were widening with shock. "Kik…Kikyo…I…." His mind was numb as he sputtered her name.

"I see." Kikyo walked away from him. "Goodbye, Inuyasha. We shall meet again. You have made an offer that I believe I shall hold you to." Her Soul Gatherers wrapped around her, and she was lifted into the sky.

Inuyasha watched her leave, utterly confused and miserable. Just as he was about to turn away, his sensitive ears picked up a faint voice. 

"I died because of you, Inuyasha. I will never forget."

The hanyou dropped to his knees, crushed under the weight of his despair.

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Yes, I know, this is a very short chapter. I just thought it would be a good place to stop. Next one shall be longer, so forgive me! Gomen! 


	5. Chapter Five

Konnichiwa! I got a little sidetracked this week, and I posted a one-shot about Sesshoumaru-sama. But now I'm back, and ready to go on with the story! Sorry for making you wait, my wonderful reviewers. Oh, and thanks to one of you, I noticed that I wasn't accepting anonymous reviews. I fixed it!

Disclaimer: I realized the other day that I wasn't Rumiko Takahashi. I am heartbroken. 

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"Five…four…three…two…one." Kouga straightened his back and nodded to himself. "Time's up." 

He was preparing to sprint when a faint crashing sound reached him. He sniffed the air, and grinned when he recognized Kagome's scent. But there was something salty about it, too. His brow creased in concern as he watched her stumble through the last cluster of bushes and onto the forest floor. 

He panicked, thinking she might be hurt. "Kagome!" He sniffed and sighed in relief when he smelled no blood.

"I'm all right," she mumbled. She was still on the ground. "I just tripped. Sorry." She reached up and wiped at her eyes, and tried to hide a sniffle. 

"What did he do to you, Kagome?" He sounded very dangerous right then, and Kagome quickly choked back her tears. "Nothing, Kouga-kun. He didn't do anything. It's just…" 

Kouga watched as she broke down, and his fists clenched tightly at his sides. "What happened, Kagome?" He kneeled down at her side, stroking her hair encouragingly. "Tell me."

"I saw them together, that's all," she whispered at the ground. Kouga winced. She had been hurt by that cheating hanyou again. How could she even consider falling in love with a worthless mutt who had some twisted obsession over a corpse? She didn't deserve to get hurt like this.

"Inuyasha is a fool," he said fiercely. Before she could protest, he swept her back into his arms. "You are my woman, and Inuyasha does not respect you as such. You are coming back with me to my den." 

Kagome started struggling then, a look of panic crossing her pretty features. "No, Kouga! I have to stay near and make sure nothing happens to Inuyasha!" She took advantage of the stunned expression he gave her to wriggle out of his grasp. 

"I can't leave the group, remember?" she added quietly. "We've got a job to do." She pulled the small vial of shards from inside her blouse and tapped it. "Like I said, I'm here to make sure Inuyasha doesn't get out of this, and neither can I."

Kouga looked painfully perplexed and doubtful, but at least the determined look was gone. She sighed audibly, and put a hand on his arm. "Kouga, you have no idea how much I appreciate you being here with me right now. I needed a friend."

"A…friend," he repeated, sounding hurt. "Why do you keep calling me that?" When Kagome blinked in confusion, he put his hand under her chin and turned up her face so she was looking at him square in the eyes. Kagome's cheeks erupted with a hot pink flush as he brushed his lips over hers. "You're my woman," he whispered, giving her goosebumps. "Don't you know what that means?" Before she could answer, he pressed his mouth firmly over hers.

She felt very hot at first, and then her head felt like it was floating. *My first kiss,* she thought with no small amount of wonder. 

Kouga was expecting to get the beating of his life for what he was doing, so it was no small surprise to him when he felt her return the kiss, albeit hesitantly. He grinned against her lips, his fang scraping her lip lightly and drawing blood.

Although it didn't really hurt, the sensation brought her back to reality sooner than he would have liked. With a muffled gasp, she pulled away.

"Well, well, what's this?" 

Kagome squeaked when she felt a hand on her shoulder. "Kagome, I would never have thought of you as the unfaithful type." There was mischief in that voice, and Kagome recognized it. "It's a good thing we decided to leave Shippo behind with Kirara. This is no sight for a young one's eyes." Just then, the hand slid down lower from her shoulder…and she had no doubt that it was Miroku.

"Hands off, lecher!" Kouga was stomping the houshi's head into the ground, while Sango headed toward him with a poised Hiraikotsu. 

"I told you not to do that anymore!" she said, looking very intimidating. Miroku recovered miraculously from the beating Kouga had just given him long enough to throw himself at the taijiya's feet. "I was just reassuring Kagome," he started. It earned him a good whack, and he was unconscious for a good five minutes after that.

Kagome, meanwhile, was blushing crazily. She didn't quite believe that she had just been kissed by another demon. Or that she had actually kissed him back, and it had felt so…good. She blinked and shook her head. "This isn't right," she told herself quietly. "I love Inuyasha." She hesitated a bit, thinking. "No matter how much I enjoyed it."

The wolf youkai turned to look at her. She hadn't remembered how keen a demon's sense of hearing was. A satisfied grin was plastered on his face when a flutter of fabric was heard behind the group. 

They all turned, and quieted when they saw Inuyasha walking toward them. His eyes were hard, and his lips were set in a firm line. He was clearly not going to talk about where he had been to any of them, so they held in their questions.

"I told you to wait back on the path," he said impatiently, walking past them all. "Why doesn't anyone listen to me?" Miroku and Sango stood silently, looking from Kagome to Inuyasha curiously. "I wonder if she ever even got to where he was," Miroku whispered, and Sango cast a quick glance at Kagome. The girl was still blushing, but her eyes looked hurt. 

"No, Houshi-sama," she said gravely. "I think maybe she did make it there. I wonder what she saw this time, though, that would make her allow such a thing to happen."

"What are you whispering about?" Inuyasha startled the two, and they quickly put on innocent faces. "Nothing at all, Inuyasha," Miroku said, waving his hands in front of him. "Nothing," Sango said, although she was looking at him rather coldly.

"Feh!" The hanyou shrugged, then turned to Kagome. "Let's go, wench. There's still a long way to go if…"

He stopped in mid-sentence as his nose picked up the scent that he feared most; Kagome's blood. "Kagome?" He was at her side before she had time to blink, looking her over with a worried expression. "Where are you bleeding? Are you hurt?"

Kagome suddenly felt very, very horrible. "No, Inuyasha, it's nothing," she said quickly, reaching up and wiping the small spot of blood from her lower lip. He looked at her suspiciously, and she felt her heart speed up when he sniffed a couple of times right by her face.

His eyes suddenly grew hard again, and he looked at her very strangely. "Let's go," he said curtly, turning and heading back toward the path. Kagome stared after him, feeling her heart lurch. She followed automatically, and the others did the same. 

As he passed the wolf youkai, Inuyasha threw a hate-laden glare in his direction. 

Kouga smirked. *Inukkuro must have figured it out,* he thought as he fell back and followed the group. *Now we're getting somewhere.*

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The Soul-Gatherers were flying languidly over the lands, staying close to the treetops so as not to be detected in the broad daylight. Their newly adopted mistress was among them, deep in thought, when the entourage suddenly halted. 

Ahead of them, a swarm of large insects hovered in a cloud so thick that they dared not go through. From the midst of that horde, a deep, refined voice chuckled.

"It is as I once believed," it said, evil mirth permeating the words. "Your love was worthless. He has replaced you so quickly, Kikyo, as if you never existed. What a pathetic soul."

The undead miko looked ahead, her face blank. "Speak clearly Naraku. I don't believe you came here just to gloat over your twisted fantasies. What manner of entrapment are you planning to set up this time?"

Naraku chuckled again. "Impatient, aren't we, Kikyo?" The Saimyousho (spelling?) shifted. "I do indeed have a plan to bring about the demise of Inuyasha. But it involves someone that you may be interested in as much as I."

Kikyo moved closer to the swarm, despite the agitated movements that the Soul-Gatherers were making. "My little reincarnation, I suppose?" She narrowed her eyes, and the air grew cold around her. "Speak, and we shall see what may be done."

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I've finished another chapter, and I've added some plot thickener! Inspiration is a wonderful thing. Tell me what you think!


	6. Chapter Six

Here we go, another chapter! I'm sorry it took so long, but holidays bring visits, and visits bring much to do…all right, no excuses. I'll just let you read on. Thank you all for the wonderful reviews! 

Oh, and the Saimyousho (still not sure on spelling) are Naraku's poisonous insects.

Disclaimer: I don't own Inu Yasha. It was on my Christmas list, too!

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Her stomach was sinking lower with every step. Kagome kept glancing ahead at Inuyasha's back, wondering if maybe she should talk to him. By his reaction, she was almost sure he had deduced what had happened with Kouga.

Everyone was so quiet! She decided she'd better say something, before this tension drove her crazy. 

Just as she'd picked up her pace, he turned to look at her. Kagome opened her mouth to speak, but his amber eyes narrowed in a glare. He turned around without a sound, and the miko's mouth snapped shut.

Kouga watched as she halted in midstep and her face fell. *The nerve of that mutt!* he thought indignantly. He was about to comfort the crestfallen girl, when her hands clenched and she stomped her foot on the soft ground, leaving an imprint.

*The nerve of that jerk!* she thought angrily. *He goes off to Kikyo every chance he gets, to do who knows what, and he expects me to just sit still until he comes back!?* Almost automatically, she said it.

"SIT!"

The hanyou slammed face-first into the ground, voicing several curses that were thankfully muffled by dirt. Miroku started to turn back, but Sango pulled his arm. "We should keep moving," she whispered. "I sense another one of their fights coming on." 

"Precisely why we should stay," the houshi insisted. "This might be rather interesting." 

"I said let's go!" Sango hissed as she bonked him on the head with her Hiraikotsu. Kouga watched as the annoyed taijiya stalked ahead, dragging an unconscious Miroku after her. 

Meanwhile, Inuyasha had raised his head and was glaring at the girl. 

"What's your problem, wench?" he bit out, shaking dirt from his ears. Kagome would have giggled at the sight, if she hadn't been so angry.

"I didn't mean to, you jerk!" she snapped, crossing her arms and turning her back on him. 

"Is that supposed to make it better!?" Inuyasha was prying himself off the ground, fighting the last remnant of the spell. "Feh! That apology don't even sound sincere, if you ask me."

Kagome turned on him so suddenly that his ears flattened. "Why should I always be the one apologizing?" she yelled angrily. "What did I do to you, that I should be so sorry?"

Inuyasha's back straightened, and he pointed a clawed finger at Kouga. "Well, you let that pathetic, mangy excuse for a youkai kiss you, for one!!"

"Of course she let me, Inukkuro!" Kouga exclaimed. "She's my woman!" His eyes narrowed. "Hey, who're you calling pathetic, mutt?"

"You, you lousy wolf! Now stay outta this! This is between me and Kagome!"

"You've got no right yelling at my woman, you stupid mutt!"

"She's not your woman, you idiot!"

"Well, she's not yours, Inukkuro!" Kouga crossed his arms. "You've got nerve, you stupid mutt, to be keeping my woman from me when you've already got your own."

Inuyasha looked at him, dumbfounded. "My own what?"

"Woman, baka!" Kouga growled impatiently. "You've got that dead woman that you went off to see a little while ago, don't you? So what do you want with my Kagome?"

Inuyasha was at a loss for words. *How does he know about Kikyo?*

"Well, Inukkuro?" The wolf prince looked at him expectantly. "What've you got to say for yourself now?" Out of the corner of his eye, the youkai saw Kagome's face turn pale.

"Uh…," was all the flustered hanyou could mutter. 

"What do you care if Kouga kisses me or not?" Kagome was still angry, but her voice had lost most of its harshness. "You always go off to be with Kikyo, so what's your problem?" Her voice broke, but she didn't cry. "I saw you."

Inuyasha glanced at her then, his eyes clouded. "You…saw what?"

"You, you idiot!" she cried, suddenly frustrated. "I saw you holding Kikyo, like nothing else mattered! I saw what I always see when I follow you!" This time, tears did fill her eyes.

"Then you shouldn't follow, baka," the hanyou mumbled stupidly. Half a second after the last word, his mind switched back on and he choked. 

"Kagome…," he started, but it was too late.

The miko gave him a look full of pain, before turning and bolting through the trees.

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The glade was deceptively calm. There was no sound of birds chirping, or any other animal sounds that normally filled every nook and cranny of a forest. The only sound was a faint buzzing that seemed to be coming from everywhere.

That and the occasional ruffling of baboon fur.

Suddenly, a girl broke into the dimly lit patch and stumbled against a tree trunk, her shoulders heaving with quiet sobs. Her black hair cascaded over her shoulders, and heavy bangs curtained her eyes. 

Even without the odd clothing she always wore, Naraku knew who she was. The air around her crackled with an unbridled power, a testament to the threat that this little miko presented to him. 

He had been waiting for the opportune moment to strike the group, but now it seemed luck was on his side. His lips curled into an evil smile. 

Kagome suddenly stood very still, forcing her sobs into sniffles. The hair along the nape of her neck stood on end, just as she felt a very strong, tingling tug that signified the presence of multiple jewel shards. 

*Baka!* she thought furiously. *How could I have missed it!* She tried to count them, but it was impossible. Her heart went to her throat when she realized that there was only one person with countless shards. 

*Naraku!* She looked around her for a weapon, scolding herself when she realized that she'd left her bow and arrows behind.

Kagome glanced quickly at the space she'd made in the bushes. She hadn't run that far from Inuyasha yet. She tensed for a second before sprinting toward the edge of the glade.

And getting grabbed from behind. "Inu-ugh!" Her cry was cut short as something cold and slimy covered her mouth and wrapped itself around her head. She panicked when she felt more slimy things slide around her legs and arms.

Instinctively, she kicked at one of them. Her foot connected with something solid, and she gasped when she saw a Soul Gatherer crash against a tree. 

*Kikyo!?* The other Soul Gatherers tightened their grip, forcing the air from her lungs. A loud buzzing filled her ears as several Saimyousho flew in front of her. 

"It's no use struggling," a smooth, smug voice said next to her. "I don't think Kikyo would appreciate you damaging her pets."

Black spots were dancing in front of her eyes, blending in with the hovering insects. Kagome barely made out the baboon pelt as Naraku entered her field of vision.

"I think you'll like what's in store for you, little miko," the hanyou said coldly, reaching out to lift her face with his finger. 

Her brown eyes met his for a second, and she gave him a determined glare before passing out.

He chuckled, taking her in his arms and taking off into the sky, surrounded by Soul Gatherers and his own poisonous insects.

The glade returned to its original state of life, as if nothing had ever happened.

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Okay, there you go! I'll try to update more often now. Oh, and any feedback is really appreciated, unless it is a flame with no constructive purpose. Arigato! 


	7. Chapter Seven

O-hayo, minna! I was inspired, but it might get a little rocky from here. Just goes to show you, you should write down things as soon as you think of them. Oh, well, enjoy this next chapter!

Disclaimer: I don't own Inu Yasha. Quit running after me with those ugly lawsuit sticks, you bad lawyers!

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"Well, I hope you're proud of yourself, Inukkuro." Kouga sniffed. "Maybe now she'll come with me."

Inuyasha glared at him. "It's all your fault, you damned wolf! Why couldn't you just keep your trap shut?" He sighed. "Now Kagome's even angrier with me, and I gotta go apologize."

"What?" The wolf youkai stared at him in disbelief. "You think you can just up and apologize for two-timing her like that? Kami! How can she stand it?"

"I ain't two-timing anybody! Why does she keep thinking that?"

"Well, Inuyasha, maybe you should have made it clearer to her." Miroku tapped him on the head with his staff, and the rings jingled seriously.

"Wha? Where'd you come from?"

The houshi opened his mouth to answer when an angry voice piped up. 

"Miroku!" Sango marched up to him, and he stepped behind Inuyasha. "I told you to leave them alone!" She stopped and looked around, startled.

"Inuyasha, where is Kagome?"

"Inukkuro made her mad, so she took off running," Kouga answered, jerking his head in the direction Kagome had gone.

Sango glared at Inuyasha. "Why haven't you gone after her yet? Don't you know it's dangerous out there?" 

The hanyou clenched his teeth, clearly getting frustrated out of his mind. "I would've gone, if people didn't keep getting in my way!" he declared, shoving past Miroku.

"Now now, Inuyasha," the monk scolded. "There's no need to take your anger out on us. We'll all go look for Kagome-sama."

"Way ahead of you!" A cloud of dust rose in front of them, and the wolf youkai was gone. Inuyasha growled. 

"No way is he getting to her before me!" he muttered, before jumping into a tree and disappearing after him.

"Wait, Inuyasha!" Miroku called after him, but it was no use. With a huff, he started off after him. "Come on, Sango! She couldn't be very far." 

Sango looked back, considering whether or not she should go back and get Kirara. 

"Right behind you!" She turned and followed the monk into the forest.

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Inuyasha was going so fast he almost didn't see the clearing ahead of him. With a yelp, he managed to avoid falling headfirst off the branches when they stopped. 

Just ahead of him, Kouga was sniffing along the ground. He stood up when he caught the hanyou's scent. "She was here," he said quietly. "But something's wrong." He looked up, his nose wrinkling in disgust. 

"Smells like Naraku, doesn't it?" Inuyasha stood beside him, following his gaze toward the sky. Kouga nodded.

"That creep took her," the hanyou growled. "He's gonna pay for it!"

"Don't you mean 'they'"? Kouga turned cold blue eyes on him. Inuyasha shrugged. 

"What are you babbling about?"

"Take a deep breath, Inukkuro," the youkai said bitterly.

Inuyasha breathed in, still confused. "I don't smell…," he started, but then it hit him. 

"Smell familiar?" Kouga bent down to pick something up. He stood and tossed it at Inuyasha, who caught it easily. It was a Soul Gatherer.

"No," the hanyou mumbled, staring at the limp demon in his clawed hand. "Kikyo wouldn't…."

"Well, it sure looks like she had something to do with it," the wolf youkai muttered. 

"Had something to do with what?" Just then, the monk and the taijiya broke into the glade. Sango looked worried. "Inuyasha, did you find her?"

Miroku frowned, and looked around the clearing suspiciously. "Inuyasha, I sense Naraku's evil energy here. Where is Kagome-sama?"

When the hanyou didn't answer, Kouga spoke up. "Her scent stops here. We think she's been taken by Naraku, since his scent is all over the place." He looked pointedly at Inuyasha. "But those aren't the only ones."

"What do you mean?" Sango seemed to notice the small youkai in Inuyasha's hand for the first time. Her eyes narrowed. "Kikyo?"

Inuyasha looked at her fiercely. "No! Kikyo wouldn't help Naraku. I won't be tricked again!" He threw the Soul Gatherer at the ground.

Instead of splattering against the forest floor as he had intended, the youkai wriggled once and shot into the air. It had only been stunned.

Miroku was the first to react. "Follow it!" he told Kouga. The wolf prince nodded and sprinted off. "Sango, go get Kirara!" he ordered, and the taijiya quickly complied. 

"I'm going after her too," Inuyasha said quietly. Miroku looked at him for a moment, a frown crossing his face.

"Inuyasha, you have to brace yourself for any possibility. Remember that the Kikyo that walks the earth now may not be the same Kikyo that you once loved."

Inuyasha turned glittering golden eyes toward the houshi. Kikyo's words rang in his head. *_Kill Kagome. She has my soul._* 

"I know, Miroku. That's what I'm afraid of."

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There you go. I think I know where I'm going now. I know Kikyo might be a little OOC, but it's for the sake of the storyline, so bear with me. I hope you enjoyed this!


	8. Chapter Eight

Next chapter! Moving along rather quickly now, since I have to take advantage of my free time while it lasts. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Inu Yasha. I am saving up for it, though. Anyone know how much Rumiko Takahashi would take for it?

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Pain. She felt it everywhere at first, as consciousness slowly returned to her. Eventually, it settled in her ribs. It hurt to breathe.

Her eyes fluttered open, pupils dilating to make the most of the dim light. The temporary disorientation she felt when she woke up in the feudal era was something she was accustomed to; this horrible sense of dread was not.

"Where am I?" 

The croaking sound of her own voice startled her, and she bolted upright. She regretted it immediately when her bruised ribs throbbed in protest. Wincing, she braced herself against the ground with one hand and placed the other across her chest. Taking a small breath, she pushed herself to her knees.

"So you've decided to wake up, little miko."

Goosebumps rose along her arms, and she quickly forced herself to her feet. Sharp pain coursed through her, but it was getting easier to bear. "Naraku?"

The hanyou chuckled, his voice echoing eerily in the dark room. "Please accept my apologies, miko. I did not wish for your departure to be so…rough."

The sarcasm in his voice chilled her to the very bone. "Where am I?"

"That should be the least of your worries," he said silkily. "We've got plans for you."

"You have got plans for her. Do not flatter yourself, Naraku." 

Kagome's eyes widened. "Kikyo? Is that you?"

The undead miko did not answer her. She merely walked up to her, illuminating the space between them with a soul. Kikyo's glance made Kagome nervous. It was as if she didn't see her…or…like she was looking right _inside_ of her.

"I just want my soul back when you're finished with your foolish games." She gave Naraku a cold look, and the hanyou shook his head. 

"Kikyo, you should learn some patience," he said, forcing himself to smile. He didn't feel comfortable around her, especially since she caused so many strange feelings to stir in him. *That fool Onigumo refuses to leave me,* he thought passively, turning to Kagome. 

"You've been a bother, little miko," he said tauntingly. "I did not appreciate the damage you caused to my body, even if it was reparable." Naraku slid one hand across her waist, and his free hand wrapped around her throat. "I should kill you right now, as you stand here, helpless without your precious Inuyasha."

"Get your hands off me." Kagome's voice was soft but firm. "Kill me if you want, you monster. I don't care anymore."

"Really?" There was a hint of amusement in the hanyou's voice. "What could have caused someone as young as yourself to give up the will to live?" He grabbed her face and forced her to look at Kikyo, who was standing at the far end of what Kagome had deduced was a rather simple but elegant room.

"It wouldn't happen to concern her, now would it?" 

When a tear slid down her cheek, Naraku laughed. "Of course. You thought you had a chance with the hanyou, did you? That maybe he would love you if you treated him kindly." He released her, and she fell to the floor with a dull thud. Tears ran down her face, but she didn't bother wiping them away. The only thing she could think about was the sight of Kikyo and Inuyasha together. 

"How did you ever think he would love someone as helpless as you?"

She remembered his words, the first time he had seen Kikyo. He had screamed it at the top of his lungs. '_I never stopped thinking about you, not even for an instant!_'

"You are only his shard detector, little girl. He has no other use for someone like you."

He had gotten angry with her whenever she lost her shards. But when Kikyo had taken them, he had not said a word. He had forgiven Kikyo for taking the shards that they had worked so hard to collect. It was as if she had simply walked away with a cup of Ramen.

"He does not love you, little miko. He loves her."

"Stop it!" Kagome cried, cradling her head in her hands. "I don't want to hear it anymore!" Her eyes were so full of tears she couldn't see. She was fighting to keep her sobs down, and the pain in her ribs was excruciating.

"That's it," Naraku said soothingly. "Take out your anger. Let your resentment take over you!"

"Ugh, shut up!" Without thinking, Kagome lifted her hand up to her tormentor's face. 

Naraku's eyes widened as a pink light grew from her palm. He moved aside, and barely missed the blast of raw energy. It grazed his shoulder, disintegrating part of it. 

With his other arm, he held his dangling appendage close. His eyes were narrowed. "You impertinent little fool!" He raised his hand up as if to strike her, and Kagome braced herself.

He stopped, and a sadistic smile broke across his refined face. "I won't soil myself with your dirty blood."

"Naraku, you are a coward." Kikyo shook her head. "She doesn't know how to control her power. My power," she added. There was resentment in her voice. "Stop wasting time and kill her."

Naraku allowed himself to frown for a second, but it was quickly replaced by a slight smirk. "She has no will to fight left in her anyway," he said reluctantly. "I will get no pleasure from her this way."

Kagome gasped as Naraku's hand landed heavily against the side of her head. She tried to back away, but he lifted her by the collar of her blouse. 

When she was inches from his face, he leaned in and nuzzled her neck. She tried to squirm away, but it was no use. 

She felt a sudden sharp pain as his fangs drove into the space between her neck and shoulder. There was a hot, burning sensation as his poison entered the wound.

He threw her on the hard wooden floor like a rag doll and moved toward the sliding door. "You can have your way with her now, Kikyo," he said roughly. "And I do not believe I shall allow you to assist me again. This was not pleasurable in the least." He stepped out and slid the door shut behind him.

"Pompous fool," Kikyo muttered. She glanced at the girl on the floor. "Do not fight it, girl. There is no use." Several Soul-Gatherers flew into the room, comfortable now that Naraku was gone. "I will have my soul, and fulfill my revenge upon Inuyasha."

She was mildly surprised when Kagome lifted her head and looked up at her. "Why, Kikyo?" she asked quietly. "If it was all Naraku's doing…why would you help him?"

Kikyo was silent. "Why do you hate Inuyasha…even when…you know it wasn't…him?" *Kami, it's getting so hard to concentrate,* she thought. Her vision swam. "He..still…still…loves you."

"I know he does," Kikyo stated blankly. "He will never forget me. When you die, then I will have my soul back. I shall be truly alive again." She looked down at Kagome. "That will make him happy, don't you think?"

Kagome blinked. *It will make him happy. I will be dead, and Kikyo will be alive because of it.* She closed her eyes when the familiar pain stabbed at her heart. She didn't want it anymore. *If I die, he will be happy.*

She released a brokenhearted sigh from the depths of her soul, and breathed no more.

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This has made me so very sad. Please, let me know what you think. 


	9. Chapter Nine

Oh, my. Relax, everyone, I won't kill Kagome. She doesn't deserve it. Besides, it's an Inu/Kag/Kouga centered fic, although it's hard to tell at the moment. If I took Kagome out of the triangle, it wouldn't work. 

Or would it…oh, my. 

Disclaimer: I still don't own Inu Yasha. Someday, I will rid myself of the rules of this reality. And then, Sesshoumaru-sama…then you shall be mine!

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Kikyo stared at the girl's body for a moment. Apparently, she had said the magic words that had stopped her futile struggling.

The Soul-Gatherers flew above the small miko in wary circles. They were hesitant to take a soul that was so like that of their mistress.

"Bring it to me," Kikyo commanded softly, and one finally dove in. 

It disappeared for a moment into Kagome's body, then resurfaced. It seemed to be struggling with its prize. It made a noise, like a soft murmur, and another Soul-Gatherer flew to its side. The others followed suit, working together to carry the enormous soul of the young miko away.

"Give me back my soul, my friends," Kikyo murmured, as the bright orb neared her. She reached out eagerly, and touched her fingertips to it.

Her eyes opened wide as she absorbed the soul into herself. She sighed when she felt her heart begin to beat, and warmth spread throughout her limbs. The fabric of her clothing felt soft against her skin, and her fluttering hair tickled her face. 

*I am alive. Truly alive,* she thought triumphantly, as the last of Kagome's soul merged with her body.

It was then that a great sadness filled her. "I have gained my life," she said thoughtfully, staring at her hands like she'd never seen them before. "And yet, my heart is filled with an unbearable pain." 

She looked down at the lifeless body of her reincarnation. "Could this be the burden that Kagome was bearing? Her soul seems to have carried it even after her death, as it did with my hatred of Inuyasha."

Suddenly, she sprinted forward as the roof came crashing down behind her. 

Dust and smoke from the debris filled the air for a moment, blinding her attacker. It gave the miko enough time to run out of the building. She didn't stop until she reached the far end of the courtyard. 

Meanwhile, back inside the remains of the room, the wolf prince was having trouble breathing. It wasn't because of his long chase, or because of the dust that still hung heavily about the air.

It was because the only woman he had ever loved was lying at his feet, and she wasn't breathing.

Kouga dropped to his knees. He shuffled over to her, straining to catch any sound that might make his heart start beating again. He reached out gingerly and gathered her to him, shocked by how cold she was. With his claws, he carefully pushed her hair out of her face and wiped the dust off of her cheeks.

"Kag…Kagome?" His voice was a hoarse whisper, and the sound of it only made him feel worse. "Kagome, wake up." He shook her gently, as his eyes filled with tears for the first time in his long life.

"Come on, woman. You have to wake up." He blinked his eyes furiously as his vision blurred. He didn't want to lose sight of her face. She was so beautiful.

"Wake up, Kagome!" He shook her more roughly, but she still didn't open her eyes. "Come on, now. Come on…come…." 

He stopped shaking her, and pulled her close to him. 

"Kagome!" He raised his head to the sky, and let out a mournful howl.

The wolves that were nearby recognized its pain, and echoed his cry with howls of their own.

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Sango's stomach flopped as a sad howling rose up along the edges of the forest. Below her, Kirara whined softly. "What was that?" she wondered aloud.

"It was Kouga," the little kitsune in front of her said gravely. "Something's wrong, Sango. I don't like the sound of these howls. The wolves sound like they're mourning someone." He covered his ears with his small hands.

"Faster, Kirara," she whispered, and the neko youkai shot forward through the sky.

"Kirara, Sango!"

Kirara stopped suddenly, and Shippo almost tumbled off. Sango reached forward and caught his tail. "Hey, careful, Kirara!" he cried, scrambling up onto the neko's back. Kirara gave him an apologetic lick, and he petted her.

"Wait for me!" Below them, Miroku was struggling to catch up. 

When they had lifted him safely onto the firecat's back, and were once more in the air, Sango poked the houshi. "Where is Inuyasha? Did he go after the Soul Gatherer, too?"

The monk nodded. "Did you hear that howling just now?" 

Sango shivered. "Yes, and Shippo said it sounded like a mourning cry. What do you suppose it could mean?"

"I don't know." Miroku shook his head. "We should be close by now; I can feel Naraku's energy again, and it's getting stronger."

"I hope Kagome's all right," Shippo said nervously. "I don't get how Inuyasha could've let Naraku take her away." He fisted his little hands in his hair. "Oh, that stupid dog! Can't he do anything right?"

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The howls made Inuyasha's blood freeze. He recognized Kouga's immediately, and that couldn't be good. "He's not injured," he thought to himself. "I don't smell his blood. Or Kagome's."

Still, that didn't make him feel any better. His stomach was sinking lower and lower with every sprint. He crashed headfirst through the branches of the circle of trees into a large clearing, where a disturbingly familiar castle sat. 

*This whole place reeks of Naraku,* the inu hanyou thought, his nose wrinkling in disgust.

"Kagome!"

He caught Kouga's scent, just a little behind the first building in his way. He crouched and leapt over it, landing just in the middle of a courtyard.

"Kagome!" 

He was about to sprint toward the ruins ahead of him when a soft voice froze him in his tracks. 

"Inuyasha."

"Kagome?" He turned quickly, and came face to face with a very warm, very alive Kikyo.

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Oh, oh. Even I think this is a bad cliffhanger. Gomen. I seem to be unable to end chapters in any other manner. It's a problem I was born with. Don't worry, I'll update soon! 


	10. Chapter Ten

Here we go, just like I promised. Next chapter! Thank you so much for all your reviews, everyone. They make my day!

This is a repost. I did a little work on it, so I hope it's all better now! 

Disclaimer: I got caught trying to nab Kouga-kun. So, no, I still don't own Inu Yasha.

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Kirara flew into the clearing, bearing two humans and a small kitsune youkai with her. "There, Kirara!" Sango cried, pointing down at the ruins of a wooden building. "That looks like Kouga!"

The firecat landed gracefully a few feet from the pile of shattered wood and stone. Her paws had barely touched the ground when Sango jumped off and ran toward it. Miroku quickly followed, with the kitsune perched on his shoulder.

"Kouga! Are you all right?"

Suddenly, she stopped. Miroku crashed into her from behind. He was about to try something lecherous when his gaze landed on the wolf youkai.He was cradling something in his lap. 

Shippo suddenly leapt from the houshi's shoulder, running at top speed toward the youkai. 

"Kagome!" Before Kouga could stop him, he had jumped on the dead miko's lap. "Kagome, wake up!" He touched her face with his small childlike hands. He turned tear-filled eyes up at the wolf. "What's wrong with Kagome?" 

"She's dead," he answered softly, laying her head gently on the floorboards. 

Kouga looked up, and saw identical expressions of disbelief on both humans' faces. Sango rushed forward and kneeled beside her body, tears beginning to course down her cheeks. "How?" she asked brokenly. 

Kouga swept her hair aside and pointed at the bite mark between her neck and shoulder. "It looks like poison," he said bitterly. "Naraku, probably." 

Sango narrowed her eyes. "And Kikyo?" When the youkai nodded, she fisted her hands fiercely on her lap. "How could they have done this to Kagome? She didn't deserve this!"

Miroku joined her, placing one hand comfortingly on her shoulder. "Of course she didn't," he said. His voice shook with anger. "But Naraku is a monster, incapable of mercy. He is probably laughing at us from a safe distance." 

He was struggling to suppress his own tears, when Sango turned and threw herself into his arms. And even though his grief was overwhelming him, he stood fast and held her silently as she sobbed into his robes.

Shippo had curled himself into a wildly sobbing ball of misery on the floor by Kagome's head. It was too much for him to lose another mother. He was heartbroken. Kirara licked him once and mewed sadly from his side. 

The wolf prince abruptly rose to his feet, and his expression turned deadly as he turned toward the courtyard. "Stay here with her," he ordered. "That bitch'll pay for this," he added with a growl. "I'll rip out her heart and feed it to her!"

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"I am not Kagome, Inuyasha," Kikyo said bitterly. "Won't you stop thinking about her for just a moment?"

"Kikyo?" The inu hanyou looked her over carefully, his ears twitching. 

"You're different," was all he could say. 

"I'm complete," she replied, frowning.

"Complete?" Inuyasha's eyes widened, and he took a step away from the miko. "What did you do to Kagome, Kikyo?"

"My reincarnation?" Kikyo took a step forward to close the gap. "I didn't do anything to her. Naraku did it for me, since you refused." Her eyes glinted with humor. "I told you, Inuyasha. I'd make you suffer, one way or another."

The hanyou gave a strangled gasp, and started to turn away. 

Before he could move, her Soul-Gatherers had wrapped themselves around his body. He would have ripped them off, if Kikyo hadn't set a spell on him just then. He struggled against it, but it was no use. He couldn't move his arms and legs anymore.

His eyes stung. He wanted desperately to get to Kagome. He was sure that's what Kouga had found now. He turned watery amber eyes at the revived miko.

"Why, Kikyo?" His despair was evident in every word. "Why do you still hate me so much?"

"Hate you?" Kikyo looked at him, thinking hard. "I died for you, Inuyasha. I gave up my opportunity to live through the Shikon no Tama, just to follow you in death." She laughed bitterly; those words seemed oddly forced, now that she had said them. "And for what? You lived, and I did not. My life ended in deceit, and in stupidity, all for you." 

She looked at him. "And here you are, Inuyasha, angry because I sacrificed a meaningless girl to come back!"

"She's not meaningless, Kikyo!" Inuyasha yelled. "She was pure-hearted, like you used to be when I met you. She would've never thought of harming you, even though you stole her shards." His ears drooped sadly, and his voice became a whisper.

"I love her," he said slowly.

Kikyo stared at him. *Why is my heart beating so quickly?* she wondered, putting a hand to her chest. *She must have wanted to hear him say those words.* Her brow creased, and she willed her racing heart to calm down. 

"If you loved her so much, then why did you hurt her?" The anger in her voice surprised her, but she preferred it to the sadness she had been feeling before. It went much better with the bitter hatred that had been part of her for so long.

"She died willingly, Inuyasha. You should have seen her," she continued mockingly. "She didn't even struggle. It was as if she was already dead inside. When I took her soul, I felt her pain pass with it into me." 

"Why do you have to keep wounding my soul, Inuyasha?" she cried, jerking his face up so she could see his eyes.

"I…didn't…I couldn't stop seeing you." He sounded sad, and very tired. "I knew it hurt her when she saw me go to you, but I couldn't stop doing it. I loved you once too, Kikyo. And I know that I owe you my pathetic life."

The pain flared inside her again, coupled with her resentment. 

Before she could answer, however, there was a sudden gust of wind as an infuriated wolf youkai tackled her to the ground.

"Kikyo!" Inuyasha fell to the ground as the spell wore off, thanks to her temporary loss of concentration. He moved to help her up, but was thrown back by a jolt of pink light. 

"You! You bitch, you killed Kagome!" Kouga's pupils had gone red, and his irises were black. "You killed my woman!" His fangs grew, as did his claws. He flexed them dangerously and moved to strike.

"No!" Inuyasha moved quickly. Unsheathing the Tetsusaiga, he positioned himself between the transforming youkai and the miko. "There has to be another way!"

The wolf prince paused, eyeing the deadly fang in his opponent's hands. "You make me sick, Inukkuro," he growled, before rushing in. 

Even in a normal state, Kouga was no doubt faster than Inuyasha. Now, in his maddened fury, there was no way Inuyasha would have been able to stop him as he used his speed to sidestep him and jump, with his claws outstretched, at Kikyo. "You'll pay!" he barked, locked on his target with a deadly determination.

It was all useless. He felt a painful jolt run through his body from his extended arm as he made contact with Kikyo's powerful barrier. He fell and skidded several feet back, countless rocks scraping at him as he went.

Unfazed, he stood up and jumped at her again and again. Each time, he was thrown back by her barrier. 

Meanwhile, the revived miko had recovered from his first attack enough to stand and glare at him.

"Stop it, youkai," she snapped. "I do not have a quarrel with you. Stop your mindless attacks or I shall have to kill you." She didn't know why, but she was hesitant to attack him.

Inuyasha stood by, staring at Kouga as he redoubled his efforts. His hands were trembling, and the Tetsusaiga clattered to the ground. He fell to his knees beside it.

*If I help Kouga kill her, then maybe we can get Kagome's soul back,* he thought. *But can I kill Kikyo? She died because of me, even if it was all Naraku's doing. She could have lived, but she chose to die with me.* He cradled his hands in his claws, and rocked slowly.

*Kikyo or Kagome?* His head felt like it was about to burst. *Kikyo or Kagome?*

"Kikyo!" He rose suddenly and gripped the Tetsusaiga tightly. 

The miko had somehow grabbed onto Kouga's arm, and was sending powerful surges of energy through him. He yelped in pain, seemingly unable to move away from her deadly touch.

Hearing Inuyasha call to her, she looked away and loosened her grip for an instant. Kouga took advantage of this, and brought his knee up to her stomach.

The force of his blow brought her to her knees. She wrapped her arms around her midsection and backed away. Kouga gave a sidelong glance at the inu hanyou, daring him to interfere.

Inuyasha stared back at the youkai levelly, then shut his eyes and sprinted away in the direction of Kagome's body. Kouga grinned, then moved in for the kill. "I will enjoy this, bitch," he snarled.

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Inuyasha hurried toward the small group huddled amid the rubble. He could smell their pain as he approached. He braced himself as he neared them.

"Inuyasha!" He was suddenly attacked by a furious hairball that could only be Shippo. "How could you have let this happen?" His voice was raw, and it was all Inuyasha could do to look him in the face. "Why didn't you protect her?" He stopped hitting him, and began to cry again. "You let my mother die!" he cried softly, burying his head in Inuyasha's haori.

"I'm sorry," Inuyasha whispered painfully, stroking his fuzzy head. "I didn't mean for this to happen." 

He dropped the sobbing kitsune gently on the floor by Miroku, as he kneeled down by Kagome's body. 

His breath hitched. *Kami, she looks so peaceful,* he thought numbly, reaching out and picking her up tenderly. He crushed her to him, burying his face in her hair. "I'm sorry I hurt you, Kagome," he whispered, swallowing the lump in his throat. "I won't do it again, if you come back." His voice broke, and he got up quickly.

"What are you going to do?" Miroku asked, looking up at the hanyou. 

"We're going to get her back," he declared, making his way out of the room. Then, as if on second thought, he turned back. "Naraku is still somewhere around here," he said grimly. "Try to find him, so we can get rid of him once and for all."

Sango wiped her eyes and nodded, getting up somewhat shakily. "Naraku will pay for all he's done," she declared. "I won't have him take another person I care about!"

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While Kouga had been watching Inuyasha, Kikyo had reached up and pulled his small sword out of its sheath. It pulsed as she sent waves of power through it. With a groan, she pulled back and drove it deep into his stomach. "Enjoy that, filthy youkai!" she hissed.

Kouga fell backwards onto the ground, clutching at the sword. The wound made by the blade was not mortal, but the purification process it had started was. The wolf youkai howled as he felt his insides begin to burn.

"I warned you not to attack me," Kikyo panted, getting to her feet. Just then, Inuyasha reached them with Kagome in his arms. He put her down gently, then stared wide-eyed at the writhing youkai on the floor.

"Kikyo, no!" He unsheathed his Tetsusaiga once more, and stood between Kagome and the miko. "Give Kagome back her soul!"

"I shall not! This is my soul!"

"Don't make me kill you!"

"You wouldn't dare!"

Inuyasha launched himself at the furious priestess, readying the fang above him for a deadly blow.

"Don't be such a fool, Inuyasha," Kikyo said calmly, as her barrier went up again. There was a resounding crash, and energy crackled as the Tetsusaiga was repelled. Inuyasha watched, horror-stricken, as it detransformed in his hands.

"Don't you see?" She smiled evilly. "You cannot withstand me, Inuyasha. Resign yourself to your fate, as she did."

"Bitch!" 

She whirled around and narrowed her eyes. 

"How could you still be alive?" 

Kouga had managed to tear the sword out of his gut. His hands were scorched, and there was a huge, gaping wound in his torso, but he was standing.

"Kagome!" He clenched his fists, trying to fight off the darkness that was threatening to consume him. "Kagome, fight her! I know you can!"

"Pitiful wolf," Kikyo said angrily. "She is dead!"

He was unable to react in time, and she quickly managed to get her hands around his throat. "I will make sure you die this time," she stated bitterly. Her hands glowed pink as she used her powers on him once again.

He screamed, and slowly lowered to one knee. "Ka…Kago…me," he choked out. "Fight her…I know…you can." His gaze went slowly to the dead miko's body. 

"I…love you…Kagome…." 

His eyes closed, and he went limp.

Suddenly, Kikyo's face twisted. "No!" she screamed, dropping her victim as a bright light began to shine from inside of her. "She is dead! There is no way…I won't let you!" 

Inuyasha looked down at Kagome's body, shocked to see that it was emitting the same light as Kikyo's. *Her soul must be fighting to go back to her own body!* he thought.

"Inuyasha!" Kikyo stepped toward him, swaying as her strength began to fail. "Don't let her kill me, Inuyasha!" she cried, pitching forward. 

A strong wind had picked up, and several streaks of light were leaving Kikyo's body and flying into Kagome's.

Inuyasha caught her as she fell, and tried to help her stand. "Kikyo, you have to let go," he said sadly. 

She looked up at him, and they locked gazes one last time. 

Suddenly, she laughed. Inuyasha blinked in surprise. It was the same laugh she had long ago, when they had just met. Pleasant, and tinged with sadness.

"I have no purpose," she said, clinging to his yukata. "When I took her soul, her pain blended with my hatred and changed it. That hatred was the part of my soul that remained with my clay body, and it was the only reason I was able to linger here. But I do not believe the rest of her soul could allow such hatred to exist." 

Her voice became a whisper. "I'm so sorry, Inuyasha," she breathed. "I am free to rest at last, but I leave so much pain behind me." 

She closed her eyes. "Hold on to me, one last time."

The hanyou brought her close, trying to hold on to her scent as she faded away. "Goodbye, Kikyo," he murmured. "Goodbye."

Behind him, Inuyasha heard Kagome stir.  
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Hello, everybody! I hope you liked this chapter. I feel weird about it, but I don't quite know what that means. So, I'll let you be the judges! 


	11. Chapter Eleven

Hello, everybody! Thank you so much for all your reviews!

I did some minor construction on my last chapter, just in case you want to go back and check. It's still pretty much the same, so nothing big has changed. It's not like I took back Kikyo's death…or anything…

Disclaimer: I tried, I really did. I guess some people just aren't as generous as others. If I owned Inu Yasha, I would share it with Rumiko Takahashi!

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"Do you really think they'll bring back Kagome?" Shippo asked tearfully. He was standing at the edge of the remains of the wooden floor, staring after Inuyasha. 

"I hope so, Shippo," Miroku said somberly. 

This did not make the kitsune feel any better. As fresh tears welled up in his large eyes, Sango scooped him up and stroked his hair reassuringly. 

"They'll get her back, you'll see," she said cheerfully, even though her own tears dampened her tone a bit. "Inuyasha won't let Kikyo take Kagome's soul. And Kagome won't let anyone separate her from you."

Shippo sighed, but he seemed to be a bit better. "No, she won't, especially not Kikyo!" he said, striking his palm with a tiny fist. "I'm going to go help Inuyasha!" 

In an uncharacteristically brave movement, the little kitsune youkai jumped out of Sango's arms and marched ahead of them. After a few steps, he hesitated.

His tail shook, and he gulped. "Is it okay if I take Kirara with me?" 

He said it so softly that the taijiya almost didn't hear him. She smiled and looked at the firecat, who was already padding after the little kitsune. 

"Of course," she said. Shippo seemed to straighten a bit more, and he quickly jumped onto the neko youkai's back. "Let's go, Kirara!" he said, and they went off. 

"I don't know if we should have let him go," Miroku stated. His eyes were still red from unshed tears. 

"Miroku." Sango was staring at him with wet brown eyes. "Do you really think…?"

She swallowed audibly. "Do you really think Kagome will come back?"

Instead of answering, he looked out toward the courtyard. They could barely make out some yells, and flashes of light. Sango looked too, and took a step forward.

"We should go too!" she said suddenly, moving to unfasten her Hiraikotsu. Miroku held his staff out in front of her, and she glared at him.

The houshi shook his head gravely. "Think about it, Sango," he said carefully. "We would only be getting in the way. Inuyasha is the only one that can deal with Kikyo now; I don't even think Kouga will be much help."

Just then, there was a loud yelp, and they heard a faint cry that sounded like Inuyasha. "Kikyo, no!" 

Sango pushed the houshi's staff aside, hoisting her boomerang over her shoulder. "I'm going!" she declared.

Miroku moved to follow, when he saw something move out of the corner of his eye.

"Sango, look out!"

Miroku felt like he'd never get there in time. He watched as Sango turned, as if in slow motion, and looked at him with wide eyes as he tackled her. The force of his leap sent them both tumbling off the foundation of the building and onto the rough ground below.

"Miroku!" The taijiya looked him over worriedly, but he seemed to be all right. "What did you do that for?"

He lifted himself on his elbows to look down from his very comfortable position—on top of Sango, of course—and smiled in a not-so-innocent manner. "I never thought I'd get you there," he said in a relieved tone.

"Ecchi!"

Sango pushed him off and raised her Hirakotsu, but her strike was halted in midair as a painfully familiar voice reached her ears.

"Sango."

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It was a very strange experience, in her mind. 

She didn't know what to expect, as she felt consciousness slip away. The last thing she saw was Kikyo surrounded by Soul Gatherers, and then a heavy darkness overcame her.

She felt herself floating. *Must be my soul leaving my body,* she thought. A split second afterwards, another thought hit her. *Why am I still thinking?* 

Everything suddenly became very cold. *Eep! It feels like Kikyo's aura! Oh no! I'm going into her body!* 

*I'm not supposed to still think! I don't want to be trapped in here!*

After that, everything became a mix of feeling and sensation. Anger hit her, and she felt a sudden urge for revenge. Underneath it all, though, her pain remained. Somehow, it all seemed to center around Inuyasha.

*Oh, great,* she thought miserably. *I'm feeling all her hatred for him, too. Kami, this is worse than hell.*

She felt a sudden jolt, like an alarm had gone off, and then calm again. *What was that?* 

Kagome sighed—well, as much as a soul can sigh, anyway. She wished she didn't feel all these things she was feeling. Sadness, betrayal, a thirst for revenge…and hatred.

'Why do you still hate him so much, Kikyo?' 

Much to her surprise, Kikyo answered. 'What does it matter to you? Why are you still here?'

'Kikyo?'

'You have brought a great sadness with you, girl. Is it because of him?'

'…Yes.'

'Let him go. He belongs to me now. I will take him to hell with me.'

'Kikyo, you shouldn't feel this way about him,' Kagome thought firmly. 'You have my soul now; you know I'm right. Naraku caused your death, not Inuyasha. If he had known—'

'But he didn't,' Kikyo interrupted. Kagome felt anger flare up, but it was laced with frustration and…denial?

'Kikyo, nothing that happened was his fault,' she insisted. 'Or yours. Only Naraku's.'

'But none of this will repair the damage done to my life,' Kikyo protested bitterly. 'Stop trying to make everything all right, foolish girl. Just let me live in peace!'

'I won't let you go on hating Inuyasha!'

'I'm surprised you don't hate him for what he's done to you.'

Pain again. 'Stop it. I don't want to hear it anymore.' 

Kagome felt Kikyo practically smirk. 'Listen,' she said.

Kagome felt confused. For a moment, she felt Kikyo's heart speed up. Then, she thought she heard a deep voice, but it was fuzzy. 

'I don't hear anything,' she started, when suddenly the voice, which she now recognized as Inuyasha's, became very clear.

"I…didn't…I couldn't stop seeing you. I knew it hurt her when she saw me go with you, but I couldn't stop doing it."

'He didn't care if it hurt me?' Kagome felt pain, but it began to change into something stronger. 'What am I feeling now?'

'Anger. Resentment,' Kikyo stated. 'You are feeling what I felt when I died. Those are the things that Inuyasha has cursed my soul with, and it was no different while you had it.'

'I don't like it,' Kagome declared. 'It doesn't feel right.' 

Suddenly, the alarm went off again. 'What is that?'

'Wolf youkai.'

'Kouga?'

'Kagome, leave me alone! You agreed to die and allow Inuyasha and I to fulfill our destiny, did you not?'

'Kikyo, I won't let you hurt Kouga!'

'You have no choice! Leave!'

Kagome suddenly felt a great void open. 'What are you doing?'

'You don't belong here. This is my soul, and you will cease to exist!'

'Kikyo, no! I won't let you!'

There was no answer, and Kagome could feel that the priestess was distracted. Relief swept through her when she felt the void close. At the same time, surprise and frustration coursed through her. 

It was agonizingly confusing to feel so many different things at once. 

Then, much to her surprise, she felt physical pain. For a second, she heard someone's desperate cry.

"Kikyo!" It was Inuyasha again.

'Kikyo, don't you see? Inuyasha loves you. You know you can't hate like this anymore.'

'I will as long as it keeps me alive!'

'You are better than that. You were not meant to hate; don't send yourself to hell, when you don't belong there.'

'The wolf will die, and so will Inuyasha.'

Kagome was overcome by desperation. 'No!' 

She pushed, although she wasn't exactly sure what it was she was pushing. All she knew was that she wouldn't stop until that horrible weight was gone.

'What are you doing?' Kikyo was angry. 'Stop, or you'll kill us both!'

'No.' There was a firm determination in her now. 'I won't let you hurt them. If you can't understand, then you don't deserve him.'

'You're just selfish, girl! You have no reason to live, remember?'

Kagome felt guilt cut through her, sharp and quick. *I have been selfish. What about Sango, Miroku, and Shippo? What about Mom and Grandpa, and Sota!?*

'Inuyasha will be happy, and that was what you wanted, was it not?'

The pain threatened to consume her again, and she felt her determination slip.

It was then that she heard another cry, much softer than Inuyasha's. 

"Ka…Kago…me. Fight her…I know…you can." 

She paused, holding her breath. 'Kouga?'

"I…love you…Kagome…."

'Kouga!'

'What is it, girl? Why do you feel so much pain over his suffering?'

'Leave him alone!'

'This anger is not mine, and neither is this confusion. Is it truly Inuyasha that you love?'

Kagome hesitated. 'Stop hurting people, Kikyo,' she said at last.

She pushed one last time, and felt something give way. The weight disappeared. 

She felt Kikyo scream, and then she felt a strong pull. 'What's going on?'

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Suddenly, she found herself standing in a field. All around her, red and white flowers grew for miles. The sky was a strange shade of purple, and seemed endless. There was no breeze, and it was eerily quiet.

"Where am I?" Her voice sounded small and scared in the immense space. 

"Would you forgive me?" 

She whirled around and came face to face with Kikyo. She stumbled backward and almost lost her footing. "What?"

"If I asked you, would you be able to forgive me for the pain I have caused?" Her eyes shone, and her voice was soft. 

Kagome suddenly smiled. "Of course, Kikyo. I know that what you felt before was because of Naraku. I—"

"You are admirable," Kikyo interrupted. Her eyes had softened. "Your soul was able to overcome the hatred that I had felt within me for so long. You have finally set me free."

She turned and began to walk away. "I am sorry, then, Kagome. For the trouble I've given you all." 

"I hope you can find happiness, as your own person. With the right one." She cast a happy glance over her shoulder. "We are different, aren't we?"

Before Kagome could answer, she disappeared.

"Rest in peace, Kikyo," she whispered. She felt the strong pull again, and with a sigh, she let herself be taken away.

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Oh dear. I've done some stuff, and I've given myself more stuff to do. I don't know how this will ever end. Feedback is very appreciated! 


	12. Chapter Twelve

Hello, there, minna-san. Let's keep it moving, ne? Thank you for your reviews. As always, they are greatly appreciated!

Disclaimer: I don't own Inu Yasha. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for my birthday, though!

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Sango turned and watched as Kohaku pulled back his weapon and smiled. His eyes were still empty, as they had been when she had stolen the Tetsusaiga to save him.

"Kohaku?" Her knees felt weak, and her boomerang fell with a loud thud next to her. 

"Be careful, Sango," Miroku said through clenched teeth. His expression had gone from mischievous to agonized, and it was then that she noticed the beads of sweat beginning to form on his face.

"Miroku!" She knelt beside him, putting her hand on his back for support. She gasped when her hand came away covered in blood. "You're hurt!"

"It's just a scratch," Miroku protested, but his words fell on deaf ears. 

Sango looked up at her younger brother, who was standing there as if awaiting some sort of orders.

"Kohaku, why?" she cried. "Why don't you fight Naraku, brother? Don't you know he is our enemy?"

"Naraku," Kohaku echoed hollowly, taking a step forward. A hand reached out from behind him and grasped his shoulder lightly. 

"Would you like me to stop controlling him?" Naraku asked with a hint of amusement. "I wonder how Kohaku would do on his own." His eyes glowed for an instant, and he let go of Kohaku's shoulder.

"No!" The young demon hunter screamed, falling to his knees with his head grasped tightly in his hands. "Stop! I don't want to remember!"

"Kohaku!" Sango threw her Hiraikotsu at Naraku, and it cut through him cleanly. She cursed under her breath as the baboon pelt fell to the floor, followed by the clatter of wood. "A puppet!" she muttered. "Of course." 

"Sango, wait!" Miroku got to his feet as the taijiya leapt up to her brother's side. As soon as she reached him, he fell into her lap. 

"No! Kohaku!"

His back was glowing, and she panicked. "The jewel shard!" 

"Yes, that's the very shard which keeps Kohaku alive," Naraku said smugly from the doorway. This time, he had come without his pelt. His dark hair fell about him and blended with the silk of his fine robes, and crimson eyes glowed at her from under fine brows. "Would you like me to remove that aid, as well?"

Sango choked. The fact that he continued to wear that guise sickened her. The real Lord Kagewaki had been kind to her. He had promised her a home after her village had been destroyed. And Naraku had deceived him in the end, as well.

Now, he was toying with her brother's life. "You monster!" she snapped, reaching for her weapon. 

Naraku's eyes narrowed. "I wouldn't attack, if I were you," he taunted. "Unless you want your dear brother's life to end, right now." He flicked his wrist, and the tip of the shard surfaced. Kohaku screamed.

"Stop!" Sango lowered her head. "I won't attack," she whispered. Naraku laughed, and the shard disappeared once more.

"That doesn't mean I won't," Miroku declared, hoisting himself up onto the foundation. He started to unwrap the prayer beads from his wrist, but Sango put her hand on his arm. She looked at him, eyes filled with tears of shame.

"Don't," she pleaded. "He will kill Kohaku." 

Miroku stared at her, and she had to look away. With a frustrated sigh, he refastened the beads about his wrist.

"What's the matter, monk?" Naraku taunted. "Don't tell me you are hesitant to attack me out of love for the demon slayer."

The houshi's knuckles blanched as he tightened his grip on the staff. 

"You are fools, with all your self-sacrificing nonsense," the hanyou continued coldly. "Such idiocy is a waste of time. And I don't think you can afford to do such a thing." He looked pointedly at the monk's cursed hand.

Miroku's eyes widened in pain as a strong wind picked up, swirling around his Wind Tunnel. "No! What are you doing?" he cried, as he felt the tendons in his hand vibrate.

"Miroku!" Sango moved to help him, but he held up his good hand and pushed her away. She looked hurt, but she bit her lip and moved between him and the evil hanyou.

The wind stopped as soon as it had appeared, and Naraku laughed again. "You live your life in fear, wondering how much longer it shall be before you succumb to the same fate as your pathetic grandfather. How exquisite." 

His eyes glowed, and a dark cloud of miasma began to form around him. "It will be a fitting end, monk," he stated haughtily. "Kohaku, come." 

Kohaku rose abruptly from the floor, and his body began to glow. The taijiya tried to grab him, but was only thrown back as he was lifted onto the dark cloud by Naraku's side.

"Kohaku!" she cried helplessly as they flew off, disappearing into the sky. The only answer was Naraku's sinister chuckle, as the mansion disintegrated around them.

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It felt like someone had welded her eyelids shut. Never in all her school years had she struggled so hard to wake up.

At last, she managed to open her eyes. She blinked when the late afternoon light flooded in, and tried to bring a hand up to shield her eyes. It seemed to move a grand total of one inch, and refused to budge again.

*Kami,* she tried to say. All that came out was a croak.

Inuyasha stiffened, his ears twitching anxiously. He put Kikyo's body down gently, and turned. His heart was thudding painfully against his chest. *Please be alive, please be alive, please be alive…*

His heart skipped a beat when he saw her move. It was slight—she was trying to move her arm—but it was enough to set his head reeling. 

"Kagome!"

Before Inuyasha had a chance to piece together a coherent thought, Shippo catapulted himself into Kagome's arms, just as she managed to bring herself up on one elbow. 

She fell back down with the force of the impact, looking dazed as the little kitsune youkai buried his chubby face against her. 

"Kagome, you're back!" he sputtered, although it was hard to understand him since he was crying into her shirt. "Sango said you would…and I knew you wouldn't…let…anyone…."

Finally, he gave up trying to speak. His little body shook as he sobbed. Kagome finally sat up, and held him close. 

"Shh, Shippo," she murmured. "It's all right now. I'm back." She planted a kiss on his head. 

Kirara purred from her side, nudging her gently with her nose. Kagome smiled weakly and reached up to pet her. "Thank you, Kirara," she said quietly. The neko youkai crouched down and helped her up.

"Shh, it's okay now, Shippo," she whispered as she stood, although somewhat shakily. Her brown eyes flashed as she remembered something important. 

"Where is Kouga?"

Inuyasha felt his stomach flop. "That's all you wanna know? Where wolf boy is?" 

Kagome seemed to see him for the first time, and she had to steady herself against Kirara. She looked him over quickly. *Well, _he_ seems okay,* she thought with relief.

"Yeah, it's nice to see you too," he said uneasily, ignoring his thundering heart. "You just came back from being dead, and all you care about is where that damn wolf is?"

Kagome gave him a hurt look, and the hanyou almost bit his tongue off. *She just came back from the dead, and all I can do is yell at her!* he scolded himself. "Kagome, I'm sorry, I—"

"Inuyasha, please," the miko interrupted, "I know Kikyo hurt Kouga. Where is he!?"

Inuyasha stepped aside, then growled as she hurried past him. *Well, I guess she can run again,* he thought bitterly as he turned. His amber eyes were glinting angrily.

Kagome was sitting on the ground next to Kouga, who was lying in a pool of dark blood. His eyes fluttered open when she lifted his head onto her lap, revealing a flash of intense blue irises. 

She watched through tears as he focused on her face. 

"Ka…Kagome?" 

She nodded briskly, looking over his wounds.

"You came back," he said, grinning. "I knew…you wouldn't…let her win." 

"Kouga-kun, you're hurt very badly," she answered nervously. "Lie still so I can help you."

"Leave it," he said, turning away. "I'll be fine. Youkai blood, remember?"

"But—" Kagome's protest was halted in mid-sentence as Kouga's eyes closed, and his head rolled gently to the side. 

"Kouga! No!"

Kagome was about to burst out sobbing when a sound escaped his lips. She froze, and leaned closer.

The wolf youkai was snoring. 

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End of Chapter Twelve! I hope you enjoyed it, my esteemed readers. Tell me what you think, please!


	13. Chapter Thirteen

I am so HAPPY! I have reached the 100 review mark! I love all of you, especially those of you who keep coming back. You have no idea how much that means to me.

Now, for all of you, Chapter Thirteen!

Disclaimer: I have tried all I can think of, including holding Shippo for ransom. I almost ended up in the Kazaana that time. The point of this story? I still don't own Inu Yasha.

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Kagome blinked. "Remember, he's hurt, Kagome," she muttered under her breath as she stood up. Kouga's head slid off her lap and hit the ground with a thud. 

The wolf youkai yelped and sat up, rubbing the back of his skull. "Hey, Kagome, I'm still hurt here!" he growled. 

She glanced down at him and sighed. It was really weird how he could sometimes sound just like Inuyasha. "You seem to be feeling better now," she pointed out. "Do you think you can move?"

Kouga tried to huff, but it only sent him into a fit of coughing. Kagome kneeled down beside him in alarm. "Maybe you should let Kirara carry you, Kouga-kun," she said nervously. "Those wounds are really bad. We need to get you back to Kaede's village; she'll be able to patch you up."

"No way," Inuyasha stated. His arms were crossed, and his fingertips were playing with the handle of the Tetsusaiga. "That wimpy wolf has been nothin' but trouble, Kagome. Let him go back to his pack; they'll know what to do with his scrawny carcass."

"Inuyasha!" Kagome stood up again angrily. "I am not letting Kouga go off in his condition. He'll die if we leave him here." She drew her arms around herself and looked at the ground. 

"Feh!" The hanyou turned and stalked away.

"Well, that wasn't too hard," Kagome said with false enthusiasm as she started to tend to Kouga's wounds. 

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"Kagome!"

The young miko froze, and a makeshift bandage rolled from her hands. She stood once again, and tears filled her eyes. *How could I have forgotten…*

"Sango!"

The taijiya practically ran at her, tears streaming down her face and arms outstretched. Kagome nearly toppled over from the fierce embrace. She looked over Sango's shoulder at Miroku, who was making his way toward them with glistening eyes. 

When he was within a few feet, he hesitated. "Kagome-sama, I am glad to see you have returned to us," he said in his usual serious tone. 

Then, without warning, the monk threw his arms around them both. Sango stiffened momentarily, but she relaxed when his hand stayed at her shoulders.

"I am so sorry, you guys," Kagome sobbed. "I was so selfish! All I could think about was Inuyasha, and I didn't even think about how it would hurt you! I'm so sorry."

"The important thing is that you're here now," Sango said reassuringly. "I wouldn't have been able to bear losing another sibling to Naraku."

"Sibling?"

"Yes, Kagome." The taijiya have her another quick hug, before drawing back. "You are like a young sister to me now."

Kagome stood silent for a moment, trying hard to see through her tears. "Thank you, nee-sama."

"Well, this is really nice and all, but I think we'd better get a move on," Inuyasha said gruffly. He was kneeling by Kikyo's body, and his eyes were hidden beneath his bangs.

"Hurry up and finish cleaning up wolf boy, Kagome," he muttered. "I gotta do something first, and then we can go." He stood up with the dead priestess in his arms and turned toward the woods.

"Inuyasha." Kagome took a step toward him. "I'd like to help you—"

"No," he interrupted. The miko gasped a little, and he softened his tone. "No, Kagome," he insisted. "This is something I'd like to do alone."

"Okay, Inuyasha," Kagome answered softly, watching him melt into the shadows of the woods. She looked up when she felt Miroku's hand resting on her shoulder.

"He needs to say goodbye to her by himself, Kagome," he said quietly. "Why don't we see what we can do about Kouga? He looks pretty hurt."

Kagome sighed. Somehow, as she stood there watching Inuyasha walk away with Kikyo in his arms, she felt something lift from her heart and follow them. 

*It must be all that out-of-body experience I just had,* she thought as she shook her head and forced her attention back to the task at hand.

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"Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid!" 

Inuyasha was shaking his head fiercely, his ears flat against his head. "Why can't I talk to her for more than a minute without yelling at her?" 

He kept walking for a long time, not really knowing what he was looking for. Kikyo's dead body hung limply in his arms, and tears kept falling on her face.

"Why can't I talk to her like I talked to you, Kikyo?" he wondered, looking down into her peaceful countenance. "And why does she keep putting that stupid wolf over me?"

He fell to his knees on the soft grass and gingerly wiped the moisture off the miko's face. "Do you think she really has feelings for him?"

The miko's lips remained unmoving, and her head drooped in the crook of his arm. 

With a sigh, Inuyasha quickly surveyed his surroundings. The ground was relatively even for a good stretch yet, before it rose to a gentle hill. There was grass everywhere, and little white flowers poked their heads through the trunks of the trees and around the edges of boulders.

Just ahead of him, a tree stood a little apart from the others. Its branches seemed to have been sculpted with the utmost of care, framing the sky like fine tendrils of hair. At its foot, the roots wove in and out of the earth, forming a sort of cradle.

Inuyasha carried Kikyo to the tree. He stood up and rapped on the trunk twice with his knuckles, testing the wood. He nodded, satisfied, and set to work.

It was evening when he finally set the handful of white flowers on the fresh mound within the cradle of the tree. He stood before it for a moment, motionless except for the fluttering of his hair and yukata in the breeze.

Then, with a final sigh, he turned and walked away. 

It was said forever after that the Maiden Tree held mysterious power. No youkai dared to come near it. When human children were lost in the woods, they would always be found safe and sound in its cradle, sleeping amidst dozens of small white blossoms.

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Bear with me. I know it's been a while, and it's a short one, but there will be more as soon as possible, I promise. And the next chapters will definitely focus on the love triangle, which I think I've neglected long enough. Oi, the pressures of disorganization can be brutal!


	14. Chapter Fourteen

Konnichiwa minna-san! Here's your next chapter; I hope it makes up somewhat for the last one, which turned out a bit short. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I would keel over and die if Rumiko Takahashi sent Sesshoumaru-sama over for my birthday, sure. But since it hasn't happened, I still don't own Inu Yasha or any of its characters. A girl can dream, though. A girl can dream.

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It was nearly dawn, and the exhausted group was still trailing along. Actually, Inuyasha, Kirara, and Miroku were still trailing along. Kagome and Sango were riding on Kirara with Kouga between them. 

The miko had fallen asleep against the wolf youkai's back. Needless to say, Inuyasha was not happy. The way she had just hopped onto Kirara before he had a chance to offer her a ride bothered him, to say the least. 

Shippo was sitting on Miroku's shoulder, trying hard to stay awake. He kept rubbing his eyes, and every now and then he would yawn into his sleeve. "Are we almost there?" he asked in the middle of another yawn.

Inuyasha's ears twitched in annoyance. "If you ask that one more time, you little brat, I'll knock you out, you hear? We'll be there when we get there!"

"As always, Inuyasha, your capacity for logic amazes me," Miroku said jokingly. He barely managed to dodge the hanyou's claws when he swiped at him unexpectedly. 

"Whoa, Inuyasha, what's the matter with you? It was only an innocent jest, my friend."

Inuyasha growled. "I'm not in the mood for games, houshi," he snapped. "I suggest you leave me alone, or I'll have two idiots to pummel."

Miroku looked at him thoughtfully for a moment, then reached up to pat the little kitsune's head. "Shippo, I think it would be best if you got some sleep, don't you agree?"

Shippo sat straight up, blinking furiously. "I don't need any rest. I can stay awake just like you and Inuyasha."

"Shippo…" 

__

Boink.

"Sorry about that, Shippo," the houshi whispered, as the now unconscious kitsune tumbled off his shoulder and into his arms. "But I've got to talk to Inuyasha for a minute." Casting a glance at Kirara's burden, he hurried to the hanyou's side.

"Well, you shut him up, at least," the hanyou muttered as the houshi joined him. "Is she still asleep?"

Miroku nodded. "Inuyasha," he began slowly, "what exactly happened back there? When we got to you, Kagome was already alive again. How exactly did you get her soul back?"

"I didn't," Inuyasha said curtly. 

Miroku blinked. "Didn't what?"

"I didn't get her soul back." He glared over his shoulder at the sleeping wolf youkai. "I don't know what happened. All I know is that Kagome came back."

The houshi looked at him doubtfully. "Inuyasha, are you sure you don't know what happened? It seems as though—"

"Shut up already! I don't want to talk about it, okay? Just be glad she's back."

"All right, I won't ask. I'm sure Kagome-sama will be more obliging. Or Kouga, maybe."

"Feh! Why don't you go talk to him, then? Seems everyone's taking his side lately, anyway."

Miroku frowned. "Just because you are jealous doesn't mean you should take your anger out on me, Inuyasha. I didn't do anything."

The hanyou clenched his fist. "Don't gimme that, houshi! You and Sango are the ones that let him tag along with us, in the first place. I could've just talked Kagome out of it. Then he would've been off with his flea-bitten pack instead of breathing all over her!"

"Be quiet, Inuyasha!" the houshi scolded. "You'll wake the others, and they need to rest!"

"Feh."

Miroku sighed. "Listen, we agreed to accept Kouga's help because we are getting closer to Naraku. You can feel it as well as I can."

When Inuyasha only growled, the houshi sighed. "Besides, I don't think you could talk Kagome out of anything to save your life."

"Feh!"

Miroku slid a mischievous glance at the hanyou and smirked. "She does not seem to mind him, anyway. It might be a nice change for Kagome-sama to have someone shower her with affection, don't you agree?"

Inuyasha suddenly stopped. He lowered his head, and an ominous sound rumbled from his chest. "It's not like I care, anyway," he snapped automatically as he stalked ahead. 

Miroku watched him thoughtfully. *He is far more irritable than before. Something tells me whatever happened back there is bothering him. I wonder if Kouga has anything to do with it.*

Inuyasha kept walking briskly, refusing to look back. *Why, Kagome? Why did you come back when he called to you? I have to know, even if I won't like it. I have to find out, somehow.*

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The sun had long since warmed the village by the time Kagome woke up. She sat up and stretched, moaning softly as the kinks in her neck and shoulders straightened out. "Mm, where am I?"

"Thou art in my hut, child, and ye have missed breakfast."

Kagome's eyes widened for a moment. "Oh, Kaede-sama!" she cried, rubbing the last threads of sleep from her lids. "I really wanted to hear your voice again!"

The elderly miko chuckled. "Aye, I am glad to see ye are still safe." Her expression turned grave. "Especially after the encounter ye had with my sister."

Kagome winced as tears of shame welled up in her brown eyes. "Kaede-sama, I'm sorry," she whispered, looking down at her knees. 

"Whatever for, child?"

"For killing Kikyo," Kagome said in an even quieter voice. "I ended up taking her soul, as well as my own."

When Kaede only chuckled, the young miko looked up curiously. "Kaede-sama?"

"Oh, ye are such a pure heart, Kagome," she said warmly. "My sister died long ago. The shell of earth and bones that roamed this land of late was not Kikyo. Do not forget, child, that it was that shell who took part of _your_ soul. It had none of its own."

Kagome still seemed unsatisfied, but she quickly dried her eyes. "Kaede, how is he?" She was referring to the wolf youkai, who was still sleeping while the old miko finished dressing his wound.

The look on Kaede's face was grim. "Well, he has suffered a terrible wound, to be sure. Shell though she was, Kikyo was able to inflict considerable damage with her old purifying powers. But," she quickly added as Kagome's face fell, "the damage was not wide-spread, and we must take into account the youkai blood that runs through his veins. I suspect, if he be anything like Inuyasha, that his wounds shall heal fully within a week."

Kagome scooted closer, wincing as the old pain in her ribs hit her for a second. "Has he woken up since we got here?"

"Aye, and he asked for ye." Kaede sighed. "I had some difficulty getting the obstinate demon to cooperate, until the young taijiya put him to sleep with her weapon." She winked, and Kagome giggled at the thought. "Ye may watch him now, child. I will go gather some herbs for the wound, and for your pain."

Kagome nodded gratefully, and the old woman made her way out of the hut. At the doorway, she glanced back and sighed. *Inuyasha is going to be nigh intolerable these next few days,* she thought, shaking her head and letting the curtain fall behind her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Inuyasha, come down!"

"Lay off, would you? I'm trying to get some peace and quiet. Is that so much to ask?"

"You are so hardheaded, Inuyasha," Sango sighed, throwing her hands up in frustration. "I know you are upset. You don't have to talk about it yet if you don't want to, but I was worried since you haven't eaten anything since yesterday."

"Feh."

"Fine, Inuyasha! I'll let Kagome deal with you!"

The hanyou turned to look at her from his perch. "Why don't you quit fussing over me, taijiya? You know you'd rather be tending to Miroku, anyway." 

He smirked when she blushed furiously. "That lecher? Why would I rather tend to him?"

"Ah, come on, Sango," Inuyasha teased. "You know you like him. It's written all over your face!"

Sango turned an even deeper shade of red. "Inuyasha!" she warned, but the hanyou wasn't paying attention. 

"Sango and Miroku, sitting in a tree," he began, remembering the song Souta had used on Kagome once. He hadn't thought it so funny at the time (which was why he had put a nice bump on the brat's head), but now it seemed perfectly funny to him.

Suddenly, the tree shook violently as the taijiya slammed her Hiraikotsu into the trunk. Inuyasha lost his footing and fell with a crash at the feet of the fuming girl.

The hanyou's ears flattened protectively as he looked up into a face that promised pain. Lots and lots of pain. "Uh, Sango…."

Luckily, the houshi chose that moment to make his appearance. He was whistling as he made his way toward them, but he stopped as he noticed expressions of relief and embarrassment flicker on Inuyasha and Sango's faces, respectively.

"Well, what were you two up to?" he asked curiously.

Inuyasha stood up and opened his mouth, but he shut it quickly as the taijiya sent him a murderous glare. Her face was still flushed.

"Nothin'," was his brilliant reply. 

Miroku slid over by Sango, who tensed suspiciously. "You wouldn't be flirting behind my back, now would you, my dear Sango?"

"What!?"

"Well, my lovely taijiya, I would indeed be insulted if you were to give your painful blows to anyone else but myself." 

There was a rustle of fabric as his hand reached home, and a vein popped on Sango's forehead. 

__

Thwack!

"Hentai!" Sango muttered as she stalked away furiously, leaving Miroku on the ground with a fresh bump on his over-abused head. Her face was still scarlet.

"Well, you sure got a way with women, houshi," Inuyasha said dryly, stooping low to rap Miroku on the back of the head. 

"I happen to think women like my straightforward approach," Miroku stated modestly. He pulled himself to his feet and brushed off his robes. "Besides, an opportunity to touch my dear Sango is always worth the pain."

"Yeah, well, you might try touching her somewhere else for a change; then she might like you better."

"Hah!" Miroku exclaimed, snapping his fingers. "Well, Inuyasha, I never would have taken you for such a bold man! If only Kagome knew what kind of thoughts you had hidden in that furry blockhead of yours!"

Inuyasha looked utterly confused for a second. Then, his eyes narrowed. "You stupid lech, that's not what I was talking about! You callin' me a hentai?"

"Down, Inuyasha!" Miroku cried, waving his hand. "I was only joking."

"Yeah right," the hanyou muttered. "Stupid pervert." Still, he put down the fist he had been preparing to bash Miroku's head with and crossed his arms. 

"Besides, you're not quite the one to be giving out advice on women," Miroku added disdainfully. "You've spent all morning brooding out here in this tree, while Kagome-sama and Kouga lie together in that hut."

"What?" Inuyasha turned and bared his fangs, a myriad of unpleasant thoughts flying through his head. *Oh Kami, he touched her! That wolf is dead! Kagome, how could you? Kill the wolf slowly…painfully…dismember….* 

"What do you mean, 'lie together'?!"

Miroku rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Did I say lying together? Sorry, I meant they were both still asleep." He didn't see the hanyou's claws curl into a tight fist.

"Miroku!"

And that was how Miroku earned his second concussion that morning, under the eaves of the Goshinboku Tree.

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Chapter Fourteen up for your reading pleasure! Tell me what you think, please! I am open to constructive criticism, flattery, questions, flattery, comments, flattery, flattery, flattery…well, you understand. Arigato!


	15. Chapter Fifteen

Hello, everyone. I know I've been going a bit slow, but I'm recovering from school-induced writer's block. Hopefully the next chapters will be better. Thanks for the reviews!

Disclaimer: I've challenged Rumiko Takahashi to a duel, but she hasn't responded. All I got were these scary bodyguards, and they can't draw anime. So I still don't own Inu Yasha.

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"Kouga, what am I going to do with you?"

Kagome was staring down at the unconscious wolf prince, her brows drawn in thought. "You've done so much for me, but I don't know if I can ever repay you the way you deserve."

"Why not?" the youkai asked curiously, opening one eye to glance at her.

Kagome gasped and blushed. "Kouga-kun, I didn't realize you were awake."

Kouga sat up slowly. He had to bite his tongue to keep from yelping when the pain from his wounds ran through him. He waved Kagome away when she tried to help him, and finally managed to prop himself up against the wall.

He stayed quiet after that, and the miko inched closer. "Kouga-kun, you shouldn't be up yet. Your injury is really bad; you need to rest so you can heal faster."

"Kagome, listen," he murmured, turning to look at her with half-lidded eyes. He reached down and took her hand in his, silently delighting in the fact that he could make her blush so prettily.

"You don't have to repay me," he began. "Everything that I do for you is because you're my woman, you know that. A mate has to look out for what's his."

"What?" Kagome huffed indignantly. "Is that all I am to you? Property that has to be protected from damage?"

Her sudden temper caught him off guard, and he only stared back at her stupidly. She shook her hand free from his grasp and spun away from him. "Honestly, Kouga, you're no better than Inuyasha! You don't really see me for who I am!"

She stood up and marched out of the hut in a fury, leaving a very bewildered Kouga behind. She nearly crashed headfirst into Kaede and Shippo, who were returning with a basket full of herbs. Kirara was padding along behind them.

"Gomen, Kaede-sama," she apologized quickly. "Could you please tell Inuyasha that I'm going back home for a day? I'm not in the mood to argue with anyone right now."

The old miko looked between the girl and the hut, but decided against any remarks. "Are ye certain that it is wise for ye to leave in your condition, Kagome?"

The girl nodded vehemently. "I'm fine, Kaede-sama. Besides, I lost all of my supplies when Naraku took me, so I have to go back and get a few things." When Kaede looked skeptical, she smiled. "I was also going to get you some of the medicines from my era, to help against infection," she added quickly, and the old miko's expression changed instantly.

"Aye, that would be useful," she consented sagely. "I will tell Inuyasha, though I do not look forward to it. Hurry back, child."

"Thanks, Kaede-sama," the young miko said softly. She turned her gaze to the firecat, who was licking her paw lazily. "Kirara, do you think you could give me a ride?"

The neko youkai mewed and transformed. Soon, they were off. Kaede shook her head as she watched them disappear into the woods. "Come, Shippo, we must tend to the young wolf prince now."

"I'm coming," Shippo said, tearing his eyes from the trees his foster mother had disappeared into. "Kaede, do you think she's really okay?"

"Do not worry, Shippo," she reassured him. "Kagome has a strong spirit. The poison that Naraku killed her with seems to have completely left her body, and her other injuries are not serious."

"Okay, then." With a sigh, the little kitsune followed her into the hut.

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"Thanks, Kirara," Kagome chirped as she slid off the neko's back. Her feet touched solidly on the soft grass, and the contact made her sore body vibrate. 

"Ow!"

She steadied herself against Kirara, and the firecat meowed with concern. 

"I'll be fine, Kirara," she soothed, standing up straight. "I'm just a little sore. I'll take care of the pain once I get back home, okay?" 

Kirara didn't look convinced, but she didn't object again. With a sigh, Kagome turned to face the well. Suddenly, she wanted very much to see her family.

Without another word, she sprinted toward it, as if afraid it would disappear if she didn't get there fast enough.

"Where do you think you're going?" 

She groaned as a familiar red-robed figure blocked her path. *Oh, Kami, I thought I'd avoided this!*

"Inuyasha, I'm going home for a little while," she stated, crossing her arms. "Please get out of the way."

"No way, Kagome. I've gotta talk to you." His command was just as final as hers, and it only fed her frustration. Still, the look in his eyes forced her to relax.

"What is it, Inuyasha?"

The hanyou looked up nervously. "I'd rather talk to you alone, though," he said, his eyes landing on the neko youkai that had resumed its grooming. "Kirara, would you mind?"

The firecat purred indifferently, and bounded away without protest. As soon as she was out of hearing range, Inuyasha turned his golden gaze on Kagome.

"Kagome, why did you come back?"

The miko paled visibly, and her face fell. "Is that what's been bothering you, Inuyasha?" When he nodded, she turned away. *So, it really did hurt him that Kikyo died, instead of me.*

The hanyou sighed. "Kagome, everything that happened yesterday…it confuses me," he said softly. "I mean, I'm glad that you're alive. Very glad. But-,"

"You would have preferred that Kikyo lived," Kagome finished sadly. 

"No, Kagome-," he started, but she held up her hand to silence him. 

"I know, Inuyasha. I really wanted to give you that, but I couldn't. Not after I thought about everyone that would need me here."

Inuyasha's expression suddenly went from pleading to angry. "Like that stupid wolf?"

Kagome sighed. "Inuyasha, I really wish you'd stop calling each other names. It would be so much better if you two got along. Kouga-kun's not so bad."

Inuyasha growled. "There you go again! You're always on his side!" he cried. "The guy's all over you half the time! Doesn't that bother you?"

"What are you talking about? How can you say he's a bad guy just because he's nice to me?"

Inuyasha's eyes narrowed. "Are you telling me you like it?"

"Of course I do! What kind of girl doesn't appreciate a little attention now and then?"

"Feh!" Inuyasha crossed his arms. "I didn't have you figured for that sort of girl, Kagome," he said bluntly. His ears twitched when she let her breath out in a hiss, but he couldn't stop himself. "You probably liked it when he kissed you, didn't you? It makes me sick just thinking about it!" 

"It bothers you that I'm not the perfect maiden that Kikyo was, right?" Kagome's voice shook. "Well, I don't care anymore, Inuyasha! SIT!"

The hanyou crashed to the ground, and Kagome stepped around him toward the well. She threw her legs over the side and paused. 

"And for your information," she said slowly, "I did like it."

With a soft grunt, she pushed herself into the depths of the well and disappeared.

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There you go, minna-san. Another chapter down. Enjoy and review! Arigato!


	16. Chapter Sixteen

These chapters might be a little short, only because they are right next to each other. I'll try to make the future ones longer. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own nothing. No one will heed my pleas, and lawyers haunt my every step. I will continue to write, nevertheless!

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The back door flew open, revealing a very disheveled Kagome. She kicked off her shoes and rushed inside.

"Mom! I'm home!" There was no answer. "Mom? Souta! Grandpa!"

She sighed. "Figures they'd be out just now," she muttered, walking into the kitchen. "Hm, there's no note. They'll probably be back soon."

Kagome leaned against the refrigerator and closed her eyes. She had been overwhelmed by the need to see her family as soon as she had touched down in her era, and had forgotten everything else for a moment. Now that she realized they weren't home, the conversation she'd had with Inuyasha came back to her.

"Oh, Inuyasha," she whispered as she slid down to the floor and buried her head in her hands. "Why do we always lose our temper with each other that way? I didn't even give you a chance to speak, did I?" She laughed sadly. "I really can bite people's heads off sometimes. Oi."

With a groan, she pushed herself off of the cold floor and stretched. "Well, I'll think about it after I've had a bath." She winced as her bruised body protested to the sudden movement. "And some painkillers, too."

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"I told ya, I don't need anyone fussing over me, old woman." 

Kaede's frown deepened as she tried for the third time to remove Kouga's bandage. When he only growled, she sat back and sighed. 

"Youkai, I need to check on your injuries," she stated testily. 

"You're acting as childish as Inuyasha!" Shippo added.

It was as if he had said the magic words. Kouga huffed and scooted into a cross-legged position close to the miko.

"I'm really getting tired of being compared to that mutt-face," he snapped, making Shippo jump nervously. 

Kaede began to unwrap his bandages briskly. "Is that so? Who else has compared ye to him, then?"

"Hey, careful, old woman," he hissed. "What did you say?"

Kaede almost rolled her eyes. "Who else has compared ye to Inuyasha?"

"Oh, yeah." The wolf youkai looked down at his lap. "I guess only she had, until right now."

The old miko raised an eyebrow. "I take it ye are referring to young Kagome?"

Kouga closed his eyes. "Yeah. It's like she only sees him whenever I talk to her. She kept giving me this stuff about how she wishes Inuyasha was more like me, and just a few minutes ago she told me I was no better than him!"

"This is most surprising," Kaede murmured.

"Yeah, tell me about it," the wolf youkai exclaimed. "I mean, how can anyone think Inukkuro is anything like me?" 

Luckily for Shippo, he did not see the kitsune snicker into his hands.

Kaede looked at Kouga like he was crazy, and pointed at his torso. "Your wound is surprising, youkai," she said slowly, as if she were speaking to a child. "It has healed tremendously since last I saw it!"

Kouga looked down, and grinned. "Well, what do you know?" he cried smugly. "I told ya I didn't need fussing. Powerful youkai like me heal a lot faster than half-breeds."

"Either that, or the jewel shards that ye possess helped accelerate the healing process," she informed him dryly, and Shippo nodded sagely from behind her. 

Before Kouga had a chance to retort, there was a faint ripping sound as the curtain was torn off of the doorway and thrown to the floor.

"Get up, you mangy wolf."

Inuyasha's voice was low, and laced with contempt. His golden eyes locked on Kouga's bright blue ones, and neither looked away.

"Why should I do what you say, Inukkuro?"

The hanyou's jaw clenched. "Because," he said through bared fangs, "I'll kill your sorry hide if you don't stop hanging around Kagome."

Kaede stood up slowly. "Inuyasha, what are ye doing?" she protested. "Kagome would not have liked for ye to treat Kouga so. Remember, he is her friend, if not your own."

"Of course he ain't my friend!" Inuyasha barked. "And Kagome didn't tell me not to kill him when she left, so she can't complain about it later."

Kouga stood up quickly. "Where did she go?"

"None of your business, wolf boy," the hanyou snapped. "Now leave or I'll have to finish you off once and for all." He drew Tetsusaiga, and pointed the transformed blade at the youkai.

"He is hurt, Inuyasha," Kaede started, but Kouga stepped in front of her. "Don't worry about me, old woman," he said softly. "I can still take the mutt out, even if he does have his big fancy sword."

Without warning, the wolf youkai suddenly sprang forward at Inuyasha, who was still standing in the entrance of the hut. His foot connected solidly, and they both went flying out into the dirt.

Kouga rolled once and was on his feet again without skipping a beat. Inuyasha was still getting up, using the Tetsusaiga for support. Grinning, the wolf youkai pounced at him again, this time aiming a kick at his head.

Inuyasha barely managed to dodge it. As the youkai passed, the hanyou reached up and grabbed his ankle. Using the momentum Kouga had created in his sprint, he flung him into a nearby storage house. 

The impact destroyed it completely, and a cloud of dust rose from the pile of old wood. Inuyasha watched it warily, knowing that would not be enough to subdue the wolf.

Sure enough, the top pieces slid off as Kouga rose from the debris. "Nice one, dog boy," he chuckled, wiping blood from his mouth. "You managed to predict my move, I'll give you that."

Inuyasha crouched lower, readying Tetsusaiga. "That's nothing, wolf boy. I gave you a choice, and you didn't leave. So I ain't stopping until your pathetic carcass is in my hands."

With a shout, he lunged himself at Kouga, ready to chop him in half with the enormous blade. "You're dead!"

"Don't think so," Kouga stated, using his speed to sidestep the attack. He jumped away as Tetsusaiga hit the ground behind him, tearing into the earth until it was embedded in a crater about six feet across. He landed somewhat shakily, bracing his wound with one arm. A single bead of sweat ran down his temple.

Inuyasha swore heavily as he yanked the sword back up. "Stop moving around, you coward. You know you're gonna die anyway; you might as well make it easy on yourself."

"Inuyasha!" Kaede was calling him from the hut, and she sounded very upset. "Stop, or ye will kill him!"

"That's the point, you old hag!" Inuyasha yelled. "Now stay out of this!"

Kaede's expression turned into one of defeat, and she didn't notice the little kitsune youkai jump in front of her. 

"Kouga!" he cried. "Kagome went back to her own time, through the well by the Goshinboku Tree!"

The wolf prince grinned as Inuyasha turned to glare at the kitsune. "What the hell do you think you're doing!?"

"Later, Inukkuro!" Kouga said, right before sprinting off into the forest. 

Inuyasha cursed again, leaping after him. "You'll pay for that, you little runt!" he yelled back.

The old miko sighed and tried to comfort a very nervous Shippo. 

"Do you think Kagome will be able to handle them?" he asked, tears beginning to well in his large eyes. 

Kaede nodded half-heartedly. "Aye, Kagome will know how to handle those two. Inuyasha does not know how much he risks in attacking so rashly."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

"Sango! Wait!"

The taijiya slowed down hesitantly, as Miroku ran toward her. "What is it, houshi-sama?"

When Miroku finally reached her, he could only stare. She fidgeted under his gaze, absolutely terrified that she'd start blushing again.

"Well?"

"Sango." The houshi's voice was soft, and she felt her stomach flutter. 

"What is it, Miroku?"

"Are you still angry because of my comment?" 

Sango sighed. "There would be no point," she said quietly. "If that were the case, then I would always be angry with you."

Miroku shrugged with mock indignation. "Why, Sango, I do not understand why you have such a low opinion of me."

Sango chuckled. "You really are hopeless, Houshi-sama," she said, shaking her head. Her breath caught when she felt him grab her hand.

"You look so beautiful when you laugh, Sango," he said, bringing her close. "I am glad I made you smile."

*Hn? What's he up to? Oh, I know I must be blushing now!* the taijiya thought as the houshi looked down into her face. "Well, it's not easy to smile when you're only remaining family is in the hands of a cold-hearted demon," she whispered. Her eyes widened as she suddenly remembered something.

"Thank you for saving me at the castle, Miroku," she said. Then, against her better judgement, she wrapped her arms around the houshi. She braced herself for the inevitable grope, but it never came. She pulled back, her face feeling hotter than ever. 

Miroku sighed, disappointed at the sudden loss of contact. Still lost in the moment, he reached out and lifted Sango's face to him with his hand. "Sango," he began.

"I'm going to kill you!"

Sango frowned. "Nani?" She turned in the direction of the commotion, as tears of exasperation streamed down Miroku's face. *So close!* he cried, turning to glare at the approaching dust cloud.

"I'm not leaving Kagome, Inukkuro!" 

They recognized the wolf youkai's voice as he sped past them, followed closely by a red blur. 

"Stay the hell away from her!" Inuyasha roared as he passed the bewildered pair. 

Sango started to follow them, reaching up to touch Hirakotsu with one hand and gesturing to Miroku with the other. "Let's go see what they're up to!" she called, before jogging off. Miroku stared after her, shaking his head.

"So close!" he cried, before going after her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"There it is!" Kouga cried triumphantly as the old vine-covered well came into view. He could smell Kagome's scent all over the place, as well as some strange magic that lingered around the small stone structure.

Inuyasha watched in frustration as the wolf youkai leapt over the rim. Then, a few seconds later, there was a soft curse and some scuffling sounds. The hanyou's lips curled into a satisfied grin.

"What's the matter?" he taunted as he peered over the rim into the depths below, where Kouga was furiously throwing aside handfuls of dirt and old bones. The wolf youkai turned to glare up at him. 

"Why doesn't it work?" he asked furiously, bounding out of the well. He faced Inuyasha accusingly. "Is that really the well?"

Inuyasha laughed. "It is the well, you idiot. But I guess it just so happens that the only ones that can use it are Kagome and me." He steadied his sword again and took a fighting stance.

"Now let's get back to me killing you, wolf boy!" he cried, charging at him with his blade outstretched.

Kouga narrowed his eyes as an idea came to him. Thinking quickly, he dodged the deadly blade and landed on the rim of the well. "Too slow, puppy!" he teased. "You'll never catch me like that."

Inuyasha turned again, gritting his teeth. "Then I'll just wipe you out with one sweep!" he retorted. *First, I have to find the Wind Scar. There, I see it! Now, I'll--,"

"No, wait Inuyasha!" Miroku cried as he and the taijiya rushed into the clearing. "You'll destroy the well if you use the Wind Scar!"

The hanyou halted in mid-swing. *Damn it all! He's right!* he thought angrily. *If I destroy the well, Kagome might never be able to come back!*

"Damn it," he muttered. "I'll just have to kill you with my bare hands then!" Shielding the sword, the hanyou launched himself at the wolf youkai.

*Just as I expected,* Kouga thought as he tensed. Even though his wounds slowed him down a bit, he was able to dodge Inuyasha's sudden assault and kick him in the back. As the hanyou pitched forward into the well, the wolf prince reached out and grabbed a fistful of long white hair. Inuyasha yelped as they both fell in together. 

"Inuyasha!" Sango cried, rushing forward. She shielded her eyes with her arm as a bright light poured from the well, then subsided. Miroku joined her as she looked into the dark depths. 

They were gone.

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There you go, my wonderful reviewers. Another chapter, just for you. Tell me what you think!


	17. Chapter Seventeen

Okay, okay. I know that the idea of Kouga being able to cross the way he did is a stretch. I just wanted to bring him into modern Japan, so please bear with me. Fanfiction is all about stretching the truth, ne? Otherwise there would be no point to it, I think.

Disclaimer: I own nothing. I tried hanging jewel shards around my neck, but I didn't even get Naraku to come. Hm, wonder if carrying around Tetsusaiga will help…

* * *

  


"Ow, you damned wolf!"

Inuyasha reached back to reclaim his hair, which was still grasped tightly in Kouga's claws.

"Cheater!" he cried angrily. "Quit fighting like a sissy, and face me!"

"All right," Kouga said smugly as he opened his hands. "But I don't know if it's such a good idea. Kagome might not like you causing a commotion in her world."

"Her world? What?" Inuyasha looked up and narrowed his eyes when he saw a familiar wooden roof. "Damn it!" He looked back at the wolf youkai. "How the hell were you able to cross?"

"Dunno. Figured I might be able to hitch along for the ride, and I guess it worked!" Kouga stretched, still holding one hand gingerly to his stomach. "Well, I guess I'd better find Kagome."

He jumped out of the well, completely oblivious to the dangerous growls coming from the hanyou. Immediately, hundreds of new smells and sounds hit him. He crouched low and pinched his nose. "What are all those scents, Inukkuro?!"

Inuyasha jumped beside him, glad that he was already used to Kagome's world. "Kagome calls it 'pou-loo-shun'," he informed him proudly. "She says it's caused by all the smoke that modern 'ma-sheens' put out, or something like that."

Kouga grimaced. "Kami, there're so many humans here too! I can hardly keep track of Kagome's scent! What kind of world is this?"

Inuyasha shrugged. "A ningen world, wolf boy. There're hardly any youkai here."

Kouga looked at him in disbelief. "No…youkai?"

When Inuyasha shook his head, the wolf youkai stood up decisively. "Kagome can't live in a world like this. She deserves better; I'm going to take her back with me once and for all!"

"Will you stop with that!" Inuyasha muttered, cracking his knuckles threateningly. "Don't you see that you'll never…hn?" A vein popped on his forehead when he noticed that the wolf youkai was already gone.

* * *

  


"Ah, there's nothing like a real bath!" Kagome chirped from a cloud of steam as she sunk in the bathtub. "And nothing like shampooing in one!" she added happily, reaching behind her.

When her hand only touched tile, she frowned. *Hm. Must've left the bottle sitting by the sink.* With an exasperated sigh she stood up, as the bathroom door swung open and banged against the wall.

Kouga strode in, with a fuming hanyou at his heels. "Kagome!" he cried happily.

The miko grabbed a towel and plopped back in the water in the blink of an eye, then said the only thing that came to her.

"SIT!"

"Kagome!" Inuyasha roared as he crashed into the hard tile floor. Kouga looked down at him and smiled. "That's what you get for trying to sneak a peek at my woman, Inukkuro!" he stated, sniffing. "You hentai."

In the tub, a shocked miko was staring at them with wide eyes. The first thing that ran through her mind was that Kouga was in her era. However, that novelty was quickly pushed far back in her mind as she realized with indignation that they were still in the doorway..

"Why are you still in here?" Her face was a deep shade of red. "GET OUT, BOTH OF YOU!"

They tried to rush out, pushing each other when they became stuck in the doorway. Inuyasha's ears were flattened against his head, and Kouga's tail was wedged between his legs.

After the door finally shut behind them, Kagome dropped her head into her hands and slid farther down into the tub, feeling the headache of her life coming on.

* * *

  


"So, he was able to cross also, was he?"

"That's right, Kaede-sama," Miroku stated seriously. "All he did was grab onto Inuyasha as he went in, and they both disappeared. That can only mean that they were both able to cross into Kagome's era."

The old miko shut her eyes and remained silent.

"I still don't understand how Kouga could have done it," Sango said incredulously. "I mean, we've tried and we've never been able to cross."

Kaede looked at her slowly. "Inuyasha is able to cross, regardless of whether or not he possesses Shikon shards, is he not?"

Miroku nodded. "Well yes, but-"

"Kagome can only cross with the jewel, however," Kaede continued. "That is because she belongs in that world, and the jewel belongs in this world, in a way." She looked thoughtful.

"The only one that has true rights to pass through time seems to be Kagome, then," she added.

Sango looked at her doubtfully. "But then how can Inuyasha cross?"

Kaede nodded. "By virtue of the bond that they share, which was placed on Inuyasha against his will."

Miroku rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "You mean that Inuyasha can cross because he is connected to Kagome, who is the one with the true power to cross?"

Shippo tugged at his hair. "What? That doesn't make any sense, though! How can Kouga cross?"

"Sango," Kaede asked slowly, "what do ye know of the mating practices of wolf youkai?"

Sango shrugged. "Very little, Kaede-sama. I know that a wolf youkai mates for life, and that their bonds are extremely strong."

"What about a simple claim?"

Miroku's eyes widened. "Are you thinking that Kouga created some sort of bond between himself and Kagome-sama just by claiming her as his mate?"

Kaede shrugged. "It is a possibility. However, we must take into account the youkai's possession of those three shards, as well as the fact that he was making physical contact with Inuyasha. Perhaps it was with Inuyasha that he made a bond of sorts, and he was able to cross in part because of that."

Shippo chuckled. "Kouga and Inuyasha?"

Miroku laughed too. "That would be a funny way of thinking about it, Shippo," he said. "Though I don't think Inuyasha would find it so amusing."

"Aye," Kaede agreed with a grin. "Though," she added, turning serious again, "it is an alarming prospect that a youkai was able to cross into Kagome's time, be it through a direct bond with her or an indirect bond through Inuyasha. It is now even more important that the well be kept secret."

The houshi and the taijiya nodded somberly, each still deep in thought.

* * *

  


"Kami, how many times is it now that a guy has seen me naked?" Kagome muttered as she stepped out of the bathroom, fully dressed. "Don't men from the feudal era understand the meaning of privacy?"

Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a crashing sound from downstairs. Her eyes widened. "Now what?"

She ran down the stairs quickly and barely managed to avoid a nasty tumble. Her bare feet hit the first floor, and her jaw dropped wide open.

"Our television!" she squeaked, running toward the sparking appliance. She reached down and pulled the plug, and the television finally died. Smoke rose from it sadly, and stung at her nose.

Kouga was sitting on the floor of the living room, licking at a scratch on his hand.

"Who did this?" she cried, pointing at the broken TV. "Was it you, Kouga?"

"Yeah." The wolf prince looked up from his hand and nearly choked on his tongue. Kagome looked like she was about to explode. "But I…there was a guy in it…he said…uh…he was asking you to take a vacation…with him…"

Inuyasha laughed and shook his head. "Ha, you stupid wolf! Don't you know that those are just pictures on the 'tell-eh-vishun'? Isn't it true, Kagome?"

Kagome turned on him with a sweet smile, and his eyebrow twitched nervously. "That's right, Inuyasha," she said softly. Then, her face darkened. "SO WHY DID YOU LET HIM DESTROY IT!?"

She opened her mouth, and Inuyasha flinched instinctively. He shut his eyes, waiting for the command to bring him speeding toward the ground.

Nothing happened. He opened one eye, and frowned. Kagome was still glaring at him, but her mouth was closed.

"I'm not going to do it," she said finally, "only because it wouldn't be fair, since I can't sit you both!" She threw a warning look at Kouga, who whimpered slightly and licked the scratch on his hand. "Don't touch anything," she added, starting back toward the steps. "I'll be right back in a second."

"You knew I'd get in trouble!" Kouga hissed as soon as she was gone. "Too bad you got in trouble too, stupid," he added sarcastically.

Inuyasha crossed his arms into his haori and smirked. "It was worth it," he said. "I didn't even get a SIT. Nope, not bad at all."

Just then, Kagome came bouncing back into the living room. "Good, you didn't break anything else," she said as she knelt by Kouga. "Let me see," she ordered, pointing at his bandage. Kouga sat obediently while she unwrapped it, and cleaned the wound with saline. She applied some medication on it and wrapped it up again in clean bandages.

"It looks really good," she said finally. "I'm surprised that you were able to heal this fast in just a day or so, Kouga."

The wolf prince shrugged. "I've been telling everybody, youkai blood is a fast healer. And if that don't cut it," he added smugly, "then three jewel shards aren't any harm."

"I guess so," Kagome replied, smiling. Her smile quickly faded, though, as a familiar sound buzzed through the house.

Both Inuyasha and Kouga looked confused. "What's that?" the hanyou asked. "I've never heard that sound before."

Kagome stood up quickly, and began to look around frantically for a place to hide them. "Someone's at the door," she explained quickly. "They push a button that makes that sound, so that I can know that they're there."

"Kagome?" A familiar female voice came through the door, making Kagome even more frantic.

"Kagome, it's us!"

"Kagome, are you home?"

"Quick, upstairs!" Kagome hissed, pushing the two boys toward the stairs. "Inuyasha, make sure Kouga stays hidden, okay? They're friends from school, and they can't see you!"

"I'm not baby-sitting any stupid youkai, Kagome!" Inuyasha protested, crossing his arms. Kagome looked at him like she was going to pass out. "Inuyasha!"

"Feh."

Inuyasha started up the stairs, and the miko heaved a small sigh of relief. Then she turned to Kouga, who was still eyeing the door suspiciously. "Are you sure you'll be all right, Kagome?"

Kagome rolled her eyes. "Yes, but I need you upstairs!"

Kouga had just started up the stairs when a fourth voice came through the door.

"Kagome? Kagome, are you home?"

It was Hojo. Kagome felt the dull throbbing at her temples flare up into a full-blown headache just as Kouga stopped and growled.

"That's a male," he said slowly. "What is a male doing at your house?"

"Kouga," she began, but the wolf youkai had already come back down and was making his way toward the door.

"Kouga, no!"

She sprung at him and managed to grab hold of his tail. Kouga yelped just as the door opened, and a very energetic trio of high school girls bounced into the living room. They were followed by a very uncertain-looking young man holding a nicely wrapped package in one hand. Everyone froze.

What they saw was Kagome kneeling behind a very strange-looking guy, holding on to what appeared to be a tail.

"Uh, Kagome?"

* * *

  


Oh, gomen! I know I haven't updated in a long time, but I hardly have any time to write this stuff out. However, I have worked out an outline of sorts for the rest of the story, so hopefully you'll start to see some sort of coherency in the course of this story. As always, reviews are greatly appreciated!


	18. Chapter Eighteen

Ahh! Gomen, I should have double-checked stuff. I guess her mom left the front door open? How careless of her. And Kouga has a big mouth, like Inuyasha. However, unlike Inuyasha, Kouga doesn't know that Kagome has to keep everything a secret.

Whew! I apologize for any holes that may suddenly appear. I try to avoid the huge gaping ones, but some are just sneaky.

Disclaimer: Nani? Oh, I'd hoped you'd forgotten. Fine, I don't own Inu Yasha.

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Kagome looked at her friends' startled faces and gulped.

"Hello," she said, feeling very awkward as she let go of Kouga's tail and stood up shakily. "How are you?"

"Ka…Kagome?" Hojo took a tentative step forward, and was immediately blocked by a growling youkai.

"Stay away from my woman," Kouga snapped, baring his fangs protectively. The startled boy stumbled back a few more paces, and then frowned.

"Listen, you, I don't know who or what you are, but I won't let you hurt Kagome!" His voice was firm, and Kagome blinked with surprise. She'd never expected Hojo to show that kind of backbone.

"Hojo-kun, it's all right," she said reassuringly, stepping around the menacing wolf prince. "He's not going to hurt anyone, right Kouga?"

Hojo shot Kagome a confused look, and her friends rallied around him. 

"Who is he, Kagome?" Yuka asked, eyeing him critically. She blushed a bit, but there was a look of fear in her eyes. "And why does he have a tail and fangs?"

"I'm Kouga, leader of the wolf demon tribe," the wolf prince stated before Kagome could answer. "And this is my woman, so back off!" He growled again at Hojo.

"How many times do I have to tell you, she ain't your woman!" said a voice from the top of the stairs. Jaws dropped as a boy wearing a red haori and sporting fuzzy white ears made his way toward them, one hand casually resting on the battered hilt of a sheathed sword. He stopped and glared at Kagome, who was starting to look sick.

"Hey, Kagome," he snapped, "how come it's me that's gotta go upstairs, and the wolf gets to stay down here?"

"He's got ears!" Yumi squealed, making the fuzzy appendages twitch in pain. "They move!"

The shocked group turned back on the tense miko. "Kagome, would you care to explain what's going on here?" Eri demanded, too surprised to be polite.

"Um…costumes?"

Hojo seemed to look relieved, but the girls didn't look convinced at all. Yuka stepped forward, and looked at her seriously. "Kagome, I think there's something going on here that you don't want to tell us about."

The miko gulped and looked at the floor. "I…" She lifted her gaze back into the girls' faces, and smiled widely. "There's nothing going on. Don't be silly! They're just costumes, can't you see? They're rehearsing for a play."

"That sounds interesting," Hojo said, smiling at the hanyou. "I'm sure it'll be spectacular, with such elaborate costumes and diligent actors."

"Where is it going to be?" Yuka asked skeptically. 

Kagome fumbled for a bit. "Out of town?"

The girls sighed, and Kagome had to look away. 

"Listen, Kagome," Eri said, taking Kagome's hands. "We're supposed to be friends, aren't we? You have to be honest with us."

Kagome shook her head frantically. "I'm telling you the truth. These," she continued, suddenly standing at Inuyasha's side, "aren't real." She reached up and tweaked his ears, and the hanyou's eyes widened.

"See? Who would have dog ears like this?"

Yuka pointed at Kouga. "What about his tail? I saw it move."

"It's wired." Kagome's smile never faltered, even when Kouga looked at her under a raised eyebrow. She shot him a look, ordering him to keep his mouth shut.

There was silence as Kagome's friends contemplated the situation. Kagome couldn't tell if it was the clock or her heart that was thundering in her ears.

"Wow, they're really amazing," Yumi said suddenly. 

Kagome let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. She couldn't have felt more relieved if Naraku had exploded into itty-bitty pieces and Kirara had eaten him up. "Yeah, amazing," she echoed, her head still spinning. 

At that precise moment Mrs. Higurashi came in, balancing two bags of groceries in either arm. "Oh, hello," she said politely when she noticed the group assembled in her living room. "Kagome dear, I didn't know your friends were visiting."

"We just dropped by to see if Kagome was feeling well enough to return to school, Mrs. Higurashi," Hojo said respectfully. "Would you like some help with those?" 

"Oh, no thank you," she said pleasantly. "I'm almost to the kitchen, anyway. Kagome, why haven't you asked them to sit down?"

"That's all right, Mrs. Higurashi," Eri said gracefully. It was then that Kagome noticed she was the only one that was still looking at Inuyasha and Kouga suspiciously. "We were just leaving. Kagome," she added in a whisper, turning to the nervous miko. "We'll have to talk soon. Honestly."

With that, she ushered the other two girls to the door. Hojo hesitated, and watched nervously as Mrs. Higurashi disappeared into the kitchen. 

"Kagome," he said finally, running a hand through his hair. "I've missed you around school lately. I was hoping that you might feel well enough to come back next week."

Inuyasha growled, and Kagome almost cried. *Why doesn't he leave? Does he _want_ to get hurt?* 

"I'm not sure, Hojo-kun," she answered softly. "I'll try and make it back as soon as possible."

Hojo beamed at her. "Higurashi, you're such a spirited girl," he exclaimed. "I'll be looking forward to seeing you!" Then, abruptly, he leaned down and planted a kiss on her cheek. 

Before anyone could register what had happened, he was out the door, waving back to her happily as he skipped down the steps and out of sight. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The room was dark except for the shimmering coming from the nearly completed Shikon no Tama resting in an elegant palm. The former lord's eyes peered down at it, but he saw nothing. They, like the rest of him, worked only for the dark hanyou that was using his body as his latest masquerade. 

"Kagewaki's body has served me well," Naraku murmured into the darkness. "Too bad Kikyo had to walk around in an inferior shell of earth and bone." He stared down at the jewel, its light reflecting eerily in his pupils.

"And in the end, she failed to keep that." He chuckled. "She would have died, either way. That fool. She actually thought I would lower myself to joining forces with her."

He closed his hand around the Shikon and narrowed his eyes. "Onigumo could not leave her alone. He desired Kikyo, to have mastery over her." He closed his eyes. "It may not turn out to be such a poor idea, considering the fact that she is the greatest threat to me." 

"For myself, I make no distinction between Kikyo and that girl, Kagome. But because of one, the other is about to become mine."

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There! I'm working on this now, and it'll gain a little more momentum in the next chapters. Tell me what you think, minna-san!


	19. Chapter Nineteen

Disclaimer: I don't own Inu Yasha. For now, its bishounen are safe…

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Somehow, she had gotten through the afternoon.

It had taken all her energy to prevent Hojo's certain death, to face her mother's teasing remarks as she introduced Kouga, and to keep both youkai from devouring and destroying everything they came upon.

Souta was off on a school trip, and Grandpa was out of town on another one of his antique-hunting trips. She had been eager to see all of her family earlier, but now she was immeasurably relieved that Grandpa and Souta weren't home. Somehow, she didn't think Grandpa would think very much of her bringing a full-blooded youkai home. And Souta probably would have had a million annoying questions for her, too.

Yes, the cons definitely outweighed the pros there.

"I still don't understand why I couldn't just kill him," Kouga muttered for the hundredth time later that night as he inspected the clean bandages Mrs. Higurashi had put on him.

Kagome sighed as she laid out the last blanket out on the floor of her brother's room.

"Because he is my _friend_, and you can't just go around killing people's friends here," she huffed, smoothing out the corner of the blue comforter. "There! I think you'll find this a lot more comfortable than your den back in Sengoku Jidai!"

Her mother had insisted that they stay overnight, and had offered Souta's room to Inuyasha and Kouga. Kagome had not been in any mood to argue. Of course, Inuyasha promptly stated that he'd rather sleep outside, and Kouga took the room for himself. He was more used to sleeping in a cave than outdoors, and Souta's dark room suited him just fine.

Kagome laughed as she remembered how Kouga had bypassed the strange western bed and had curled up on the carpet in the corner of the room.

Kouga looked at the colorful pile he was to sleep on for a moment, then stepped on it experimentally. He shrugged and nodded. "It feels different," he said.

Suddenly, he sat down in a cross-legged position and pulled Kagome down with him. She tumbled gently onto the soft cushion of blankets and landed firmly against his chest. Their eyes met for a second, and she shivered involuntarily as his warm breath brushed her cheek.

"Kouga," she squeaked, but it was interrupted as he brushed his lips over hers. "I…"

"Good night, Kagome-chan," he said suddenly, helping her sit up. "This really is comfortable." He shot her a sly look. "Inukkuro doesn't know what he's missing."

"Good night, Kouga-kun," she said shakily, getting up and walking to the door. She hesitated, and for a moment the wolf youkai thought she was going to turn around. Then, she walked out abruptly, closing the door gently behind her. Kouga sighed and curled up, wincing a bit because of his wound.

Kagome hurried down the hall, holding her fingers to her lips and wondering at the strange fluttering in the pit of her stomach. What was that all about?

She finally reached her room and practically ran inside.

She almost ran back out. Inuyasha was sitting cross-legged on her bed.

He looked up at her when she came in, his ears twitching. "So, is that damned wolf asleep yet?"

Kagome nodded, not yet trusting her voice. Inuyasha looked at her curiously, and his eyes narrowed. "What took you so long? I've been waiting here for an hour already."

That wasn't quite true, but it had felt like an hour to him. She had gone off to show Kouga his room, and he had been waiting for her to come back with a knot for a stomach. He needed to talk to her.

"I…we…I was just fixing some blankets for him," she stuttered. The fluttering in her stomach had turned to an all-out churning.

"Kagome."

Her mouth went dry at his tone. He sounded serious, and somewhat sad. "We need to talk," he said softly.

She was a bit taken aback by his demeanor. He's never this calm, she thought.

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes. "Are you gonna stand there all night, wench? I said we need to talk!"

Kagome sweat-dropped. Scratch that. Same old Inuyasha.

She walked over and sat next to him, still not daring to speak. Suddenly, she remembered their last argument, and she cringed inwardly. She had told him she liked Kouga's kiss, hadn't she?

Inuyasha sighed, apparently having some difficulty initiating the conversation. "Kagome, what happened when you were in Kikyo's body?"

Kagome blinked, a bit startled. "Is that what you want to talk about?"

Inuyasha closed his eyes and nodded, and she felt her heart drop. He wants to talk about Kikyo? He doesn't even care about what happened at the well?

After a pause, she sighed. "I don't really know how to explain it. It was like I was still alive, but just trapped somewhere. I couldn't see, or anything like that. I could just _feel_." She shuddered when she remembered the intense emotions Kikyo had held.

Inuyasha looked down at her and frowned. "What kinds of things did you feel?"

Kagome stared at her hands, and her voice softened. "Resentment, anger," she said, smoothing out her skirt. "Pain."

The hanyou sighed loudly and slumped further down against the headboard. "So, she really did hate me, didn't she?"

The miko winced inwardly. "No, Inuyasha," she said sadly. "She really loved you. I think, in the end, she was finally able to realize that and accept it. When she…left…she was happy."

"Yeah, I know," Inuyasha murmured. "It's just that, well, I always thought that there'd be some hope for her while she was alive. I thought that maybe she'd stop hating me so much, and would be able to live in peace. It's sad that she had to die to finally do that."

Kagome felt her throat tighten. "I'm sorry, Inuyasha. I really didn't mean to kill her."

The hanyou looked at her suddenly, and frowned when he saw tears well up in her innocent brown eyes. "Don't be stupid, Kagome," he said with his usual charm. "It's not your fault things ended up the way they did."

The girl hiccuped and stared at him. "Thanks, Inuyasha," she whispered. "Though I could've gone without the 'stupid'."

"Feh." Inuyasha planted a fist firmly on the bed and leaned closer. "Speaking of stupid," he said, his amber eyes focused on hers, "Why did you let that Hojo guy get away with what he did?"

Kagome frowned. "Come on, Inuyasha. Hojo is just a naïve guy from school. Sure, he always gives me things, and he's sweet, and a nice enough guy…"

"Hey Kagome?" Inuyasha's eyebrow twitched, and his claws were digging into her bedspread. "You're telling me why you _don't_ want me to kill him, right?"

Kagome giggled. "Oh, Inuyasha," she said, waving at him. "Don't be so aggressive. He's just a friend, really." She yawned, feeling the need for sleep creep up on her.

"Feh. I don't know what kind of friend is allowed to kiss you. The guy reminds me of Miroku."

Kagome laughed. "Trust me, he's not that bad," she said, leaning against his shoulder. He stiffened, but she was used to it. She missed the blush that crept into the hanyou's face as he slowly relaxed again.

"I don't know how I'm going to explain this to Eri," she murmured. "They'll never believe the truth."

"Uh, the truth?" Inuyasha mumbled intelligently.

"Yeah. About the well and all. The last thing I need is for everyone to think I'm crazy. I've already got everything else wrong with me, according to Grandpa." She yawned again. "Plus it'll totally ruin the scrap of social life I have left."

"Feh. I don't see what the big deal is."

Kagome closed her eyes. "Inuyasha, if everyone thinks I'm crazy I'll never be taken seriously again. That'll kill my chances at a good career, not to mention my future," she mumbled.

"Your future?" Inuyasha glanced down, only to be somewhat disappointed when he saw that she had fallen asleep. Gingerly, he pulled out from behind her and tucked her in. It was somewhat awkward, but he finally got her under the covers.

"Kagome," he whispered, kneeling down on the floor so that his face was level with hers. "Am I in your future?"

"Mm hm," she murmured, turning on her side. Inuyasha blushed when her face slid closer to his. All he had to do was lean forward, and their lips would touch.

Suddenly, his nose twitched and his heart skipped a beat. There was a foreign scent lingering on her mouth, and he recognized it immediately.

Growling, he stood up straight and stalked to the window. He glanced back at the sleeping miko, and his face fell. With a sigh, he leapt out, leaving the curtains fluttering softly in the breeze of the warm summer night.

..............................................................................................................

Miroku was returning from his walk when he saw her. She was leaning against one of the wooden fences at the edge of one of the villagers' garden, gazing at the sunrise, her features illuminated by the light.

"Speak to her, Houshi-sama."

He turned quickly toward Kaede, who was smiling at him encouragingly. "Kaede-sama, I…"

She shook her head to silence him. "I have lived for a long time, young monk. It is not difficult to tell when someone is in love. Especially when ye stare at the taijiya with your mouth agape, as ye were doing when I happened upon ye."

She stifled a chuckle when he blushed. "Speak to her, houshi," she said again, walking away. "Ye do not want to follow in Inuyasha's footsteps."

Miroku stared after the old miko thoughtfully. Then he cleared his throat and started walking.

"It's a beautiful sunrise, isn't it?"

Sango jumped a little at the voice. Miroku had sneaked up on her from behind, a skill she wasn't particularly comfortable with.

"Yes, it is," she answered, turning her eyes back up to the golden rays with a sigh. "I just wish we could be free to enjoy times like these without worrying about other things."

"Like Naraku?"

She nodded. "And Kohaku," she added softly. "I wonder if he ever gets see the sun rise now. He used to love doing that."

Miroku frowned. "Sango, don't torture yourself so. It's exactly what Naraku wants."

The taijiya lowered her head, and the houshi's eyes widened when a sob escaped from her.

"Sango-chan, I'm sorry. I…"

"What am I supposed to do, Miroku?" Her tearful eyes met his, punctuating the pain in her voice.

"Kohaku is my little brother, the only remaining part of my entire life. Now he's in the hands of that cruel beast, and I never know if he's being tortured or even if he's still alive right now!"

The houshi drew her closer, and she buried her face in his shoulder. "How can I not torture myself with these thoughts, Houshi-sama, when Kohaku is all I have left?"

Miroku frowned into her hair. "You have much more than that, Sango," he said softly. "Your friends will help you get him back. Don't ever forget you have friends."

She blinked in surprise as his arms drew tighter.

"And you have me."

Sango's gasp was barely audible, but he felt the heat of her flush right through his robes. His own face was reddening, but he wasn't prepared to let her go just yet.

The taijiya's eyes went from surprise to anger in a flash at the rustling fabric against her bottom.

"Miroku!"

The slap echoed through the quiet night, and the monk withdrew his arms immediately. He grinned helplessly. "Come now, Sango," he started playfully, then froze.

Her face and posture showed anger, but the blatant pain in her eyes was what struck him. She had never looked at him with that expression before.

"Sango," he mumbled, reaching for her hand.

She turned and ran, leaving a trail of tears on the breeze.

Miroku stared after her for a moment. Then, swearing heavily, he started after her.

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He chuckled. The houshi was really an idiot. He had managed to hurt Sango in a way that he himself would have never imagined.

If only he'd known how dearly the taijiya cared for that monk, he would have used it long ago to his advantage.

He shrugged indifferently, scanning the grounds nearest to him with a keen eye.

Where was the miko?

It perplexed him to come to this village, where he knew she always went whenever they weren't searching for the Shikon shards, and not find a trace of her nor of the hanyou.

He moved to the next tree, taking care not to ruffle his pelt.

Where could they be?

He was eager to move into the next phase of his plan, but his patience was wearing thin and the girl was nowhere in sight.

The corners of his mouth curled into a smirk, and he jumped down onto the path below just as the taijiya burst through the tree line.

She barely had time to register the warning in her gut before she collided with him.

"Sango, wait!"

The houshi stepped onto the path a few seconds later, a look of fear on his face. He had sensed Naraku and was trying to warn the taijiya.

He looked from the surprised huntress to the baboon mask and decided it was too late.

In one swift move, Naraku struck taijiya in the head and swept her up into his arms.

"Sango!" Miroku cried, moving forward.

"Stop right there monk, or I shall kill her," the evil hanyou ordered.

Miroku hesitated. "Let her go, Naraku," he spat viciously, trying not to let his fear coat his voice.

The hanyou chuckled. "Why, Miroku? You seem very concerned about the well being of our Sango here, I think."

Suddenly, the smirk left his face and he frowned. "Where is Kikyo's reincarnation?"

The houshi's eyes widened, but his mouth remained shut.

"So, you won't tell me?" Naraku turned to look at the unconscious girl in his arms. "Pity, she'd be heartbroken if she found out you cared more for the young priestess's safety than her own."

"Stop! Kagome isn't here, Naraku," Miroku said desperately.

"I've deduced that much myself, houshi. Tell me where she _is_."

Miroku bit his lip, trying to think of something. He couldn't use his Kazaana without pulling Sango in as well. He couldn't tell Naraku about the well. There had to be something…

"She has gone with Kouga," he said quickly. He watched as the evil hanyou hesitated, and held his breath.

"You lie," Naraku said simply. "You shall pay dearly for your impertinence, houshi." He raised his arm, and a blade flashed in the shaded sunlight.

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Yes, I know. I've taken so long to update, only to throw something like this out. Trust me, I haven't had the energy to work on anything lately. Things are finally starting to look better, though, so I expect more writing time. Thank you for your patience. Sincerely, Management…I mean, tell me what you think!


	20. Chapter Twenty

Disclaimer: What? Well fine, then! Who needs your dumb old show anyway! Grrr…I don't own Inu Yasha.

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"I wish you weren't leaving so soon, Kagome," Mrs. Higurashi said for the third time as she helped Kagome pack the last package of Ramen into the bulging blue backpack. It was Kagome's old one and it was a little more worn out, but at least it wasn't yellow.

"I know, Mom," she replied, pushing down breathlessly as she finally managed to zip it all the way around. "I was going to stay longer, but I can't with those two here." She nodded toward Inuyasha and Kouga, who were brooding outside in the backyard by the well house.

Mrs. Higurashi chuckled. "So that's the young man you told me was in love with you," she said through her smile. "He's cute."

Kagome blushed, horrified. "Mom!"

"What?" The older woman laughed as she helped Kagome strap the bag onto her back. "You don't think so?"

The miko looked down at her feet, feeling the heat rise in her face. "I guess so, but still, Mom! What would Inuyasha say?"

"Well, I guess you have quite a dilemma there, dear. Though I do suppose Inuyasha has an unfair advantage with those ears of his," she said mischievously. She chuckled again when Kagome covered her face with her hands. Her daughter was positively glowing red.

"Kagome," she added after a brief hesitation, "be careful, okay?"

Kagome turned at the sudden seriousness in her voice. "Mom? What's the matter?"

Mrs. Higurashi looked down at her and shrugged. "I don't know," she said, looking toward the well. "But the other day, I had a horrible feeling. I don't know how to explain it. Out of nowhere, I suddenly felt incredibly afraid. I couldn't get you out of my head, and I became worried."

Then she laughed. "I guess it was just my mind playing with me. I just worry about you so much when you're over in that dangerous place, but I guess I don't help you much by telling you these things."

Kagome felt tears well up in her eyes. She had died without a second thought, and her mother had sensed it all the way across time. What would have happened if she hadn't come back?

"Oh, mom," she choked, burying her head into her mother's arms. "I'll never leave you or Souta, or Grandpa! I'm sorry!"

Mrs. Higurashi stroked her head and gave her a small hug, then helped her straighten up. "Now, now, Kagome," she said lightly. "It was just a silly thought, that's all. Go on and do what you have to. I'll tell your grandfather and Souta you said hello."

Kagome sniffed once and nodded, then made her way outside.

"And Kagome!"

She turned back, and Mrs. Higurashi winked.

"Make sure you bring those boys back sometime. I'm sure Souta would love to meet Kouga! Plus, they owe me a television."

Kagome made a face as the back door closed, then continued her burdened walk toward the Goshinboku. She could make out Inuyasha's red haori among the leaves.

"Inuyasha," she called, adjusting the heavy backpack on her shoulders. "Time to go. I could really use a hand with this bag."

Inuyasha jumped down and landed next to her with a huff. "Why don't you tell your wolf boy to help you?" he asked sharply. "I'm sure he won't mind."

When her face fell, he turned away quickly and started toward the well house. His ears twitched at her sharp intake of breath, but he kept walking.

"I'll be glad to take that for you, Kagome," Kouga said from her side. "You know there's nothing I won't do for my woman."

"Thanks," Kagome mumbled half-heartedly, surrendering the overstuffed blue bag. "It's really heavy this time. I had to pack extra bandages and food."

They followed the hanyou to the small wooden building that housed the portal to the past, and all the while Kagome fought with the urge to sit him. _Now what's gotten into him?_ she wondered, glaring at his back. _Last night he was acting normally. Why is he so moody all of a sudden?_

She had reached the well now. Inuyasha was standing beside it with his arms crossed expectantly, but he was looking away. Obviously, he was avoiding eye contact with her.

__

Fine, she thought as she swung her leg over the wooden edge. _If he wants to be moody, then he can stay that way._

She yelped as she was pulled back roughly by the back of her blouse. "What's your problem, jerk?" she snapped as Inuyasha stepped in front of her.

"We'll go first," he said shortly. "I wanna make sure it's safe, and I also want to be sure Kouga doesn't try anything."

Kagome sighed. "Well, fine. How did you two come through the first time?"

Inuyasha made a face. "He was holding onto my hair. I don't want to do that again."

Kouga grinned. "What, you touchy about that mop of yours? Didn't tangle it, did I, Mutt?"

The hanyou turned red. "Why, you son of a--"

"Why don't I just take him through?" Kagome interjected, feeling the situation turn ugly. "That way you won't have to hold on to each other at all."

"No way." Inuyasha crossed his arms. "What if he decides to take you once you're through? I ain't gonna give him that chance."

"Well then, hold hands or something," Kagome said impatiently. "We can't stand around here all day."

Both boys turned red and looked away. "There's no way I'm holding _his _hand," they both growled at the same time.

"Forget this," the miko said, climbing onto the well again. "You figure it out. I'll meet you on the other side." With a grunt, she pushed off and disappeared in a flash of light.

"Kagome! Damn it, I don't want her there alone!" Inuyasha growled and glared at the wolf prince.

Kouga glared back.

For a moment, neither of them spoke. Then, all of a sudden, the two youkai joined hands and leapt into the darkness.

There was a bright flash of pink light, and they were gone.

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"I hope they hurry up," Kagome groaned as she pushed herself out onto the grass. She took a moment to stretch and inhale the clean air, a ritual subconsciously adopted after numerous trips between eras.

She stopped in mid-stretch and frowned. Her arms lowered and she looked toward the forest warily.

"Something's wrong," she murmured, reaching for her arrows out of habit and cursing when she found nothing.

"Sango!"

"Miroku?"

The cry had come from straight ahead, and she sensed the strong pull of multiple jewel shards.

__

Naraku!

Without a second thought, she bolted in the direction of the scream.

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Miroku's heart leapt to his throat at the sight of the deadly blade.

"No!!"

Just as Miroku lunged at Naraku's poised arm, the dark hanyou jumped back and lowered his weapon harmlessly to his side.

"There she is." His lips curved into a smirk. "And she's alone. How convenient."

Miroku sighed in relief, but it didn't last long as his senses picked up Kagome's aura. Before he could do anything, Naraku threw the taijiya aside.

The houshi sprinted forward and barely managed to catch her, but doing so kept him from warning Kagome as she entered the scene.

Kagome was struggling. She had been ever since she had started running in the direction of the shards. Her breathing was labored, and she was staggering across the worn paths. Her forehead was damp with sweat, and drops of it weighed heavily on her eyelashes. She blinked and shook her head. _What's happening? _she thought hazily. _I feel like I'm going to pass out!_

Suddenly, she felt two things at once: one was an excruciating pain that began at the side of her neck where Naraku's bite mark was beginning to heal; the other was a violent wind that howled in her ears and forced out all other senses.

__

Oh Kami, what is going on? Ugh…I can't see!

"Kagome."

The miko froze.

__

Naraku?

"Yes, miko." The dark hanyou chuckled. "Come. I think you will find obeying me much easier than struggling against my spell."

Miroku stared at the young girl with alarm as she slumped back against a tree. "What have you done to Kagome, you monster?"

Naraku chuckled, the sound reverberating throughout the clearing. "I suppose you can call it an extended spell," he said, drawing out the words. "I marked her with my poison the other day, and now it is beginning to take effect. All she needed was to be beckoned by her master."

"Naraku!"

The fierce cry was followed by a crash as two figures burst into the scene. Inuyasha was holding Tetsusaiga out in front of him, and Kouga stood next to him with readied claws.

"Ah, Inuyasha. You've come at the perfect moment," Naraku said. "I was just explaining to the houshi that I have come to claim the miko."

The hanyou bristled. "Like hell you are. You've got nothing to claim, you bastard!"

"I'll cut you in pieces if you try to lay a hand on my woman!" Kouga snarled, running to stand in front of a very pale Kagome. "I've already claimed her as mine, so I don't know what the hell you're talking about!"

"You're both mistaken," Naraku stated. "Neither of you has any right to keep her from me now. I have marked her as my own. See for yourself."

Slowly, both boys turned to look at Kagome.

She was a sickly shade of green now. Just below her neck, an angry red bite mark was beginning to show against her blanched skin. Slowly, lines extended from it and met to form a distinct shape.

Naraku's name stood emblazoned in perfect kanji, just above the junction of her neck and shoulder.

"No, Kagome!" Inuyasha's arms lowered as he moved closer.

She looked at him. For a brief instant, her eyes flashed at him. She was trying to tell him something, but before he could figure it out, her eyes glazed over and her face turned blank.

"Come, Kagome," Naraku ordered firmly. Although he was thoroughly enjoying the desperation that was radiating off the white-haired hanyou and the wolf youkai, he did not want to risk his still fragile hold on the girl.

"You are mine now," he declared, as if the statement in itself would strengthen the spell.

Inuyasha watched in disbelief as the miko straightened and walked past him toward the evil hanyou. Her steps were steady, and her gaze never left Naraku's.

Naraku was surprised, though it was well hidden beneath his mask. _She has stopped struggling_, he realized. It was truly unsettling, but he decided instantly that he hadn't any time to ponder it. "No, Kagome!"

Kouga's anguished cry yanked the hanyou back to reality, and they both leapt at the baboon pelt. With an amused laugh, Naraku moved swiftly out of the way and pulled Kagome into his arms. "You shall meet again," he said as he rose into the sky, surrounded by his miasma. "When she is ready."

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There. Another one. I will finish this, I tell you. Just have patience with me, and thank you for your continued support. I love you guys! As always, tell me what you think!


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